Poaceae tribe Pappophoreae

Kunth
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 285.

Plants perennial; rarely annual. Culms herbaceous. Ligules of hairs; blade epidermes with bicellular microhairs. Inflorescences terminal, dense, narrow to somewhat open panicles; disarticulation above the glumes but not between the florets (except in Cottea). Spikelets with 3-10 florets, sometimes only the lowest floret bisexual. Lemmas 5-13-veined, veins extending into awns, often with intermixed hyaline lobes. Caryopses with punctate hila; embryos 1/2 or more as long as the caryopses. x = 10.

Discussion

The tribe Pappophoreae includes five genera and approximately 40 species. It is represented in tropical and warm regions around the world.

Key

1 Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets; florets 6-10, the lemmas with both awns and awned teeth, these not forming a pappuslike crown Cottea
1 Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes but not between the florets, these falling as a unit; florets 3-6, the lemmas awned but without awned teeth, the awns forming a pappuslike crown. > 2
2 Lower glumes 1-veined; lemma awns scabridulous, not plumose Pappophorum
2 Lower glumes 5-7-veined; lemma awns plumose, not scabridulous Enneapogon