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Grass
Grass-Like
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Bunchgrass
Rhizomatous
Stoloniferous
Bulbous
Height (cm)
< 11
11 - 30
31-60
61-100
> 100
Inflorescence Type I (Grasses Only)
Panicle (narrow or open)
Spike
Raceme (some species in this category terminating in 1-2 spikelets)
Spike-like panicle
Inflorescence with compact, branched spikelets
Inflorescence Length (cm)
< 10
10 - 30
30 - 60
> 60
Spikelet Shapes (Grasses Only)
Dorsally Compressed
Laterally Compressed
Unique Spikelet Features (Grasses Only)
Spikelets with upper glumes enclosing florets, often with sterile lemmas
Spikelets often in pairs or triads
Spikelets subtended by 1-3(4) bristles
1-flowered, central and lateral spikelets present
3-flowered, upper floret fertile and lowest 2 florets sterile
Florets produced into bulblets
Spikelet Length (mm)
< 5
5-15
15-30
30-50
> 50
Inflorescence Type II (Grass-Likes Only)
Staminate and pistillate spikes
Dense heads
Umbelliform cyme
Compact or diffuse panicles with flowers
Capitate clusters
Number of Florets I (Grasses Only)
1
2
2+
Glumes (Grasses Only)
Glumes enclosing florets or nearly so
Glumes not enclosing florets
Glumes awn-like, acicular, or flat
Awns I (Grasses Only)
Present
NOT present
Awns II (Grasses Only)
Awns arising from tips of lemmas
Awns arising from back of lemmas or just below lemma tips
Awns arising from glumes
Awns trifid
Auricles (Grasses Only)
NOT present
Present
Ligule (Grasses Only)
Membranous
Hairy
NOT present
Blade Width (Grasses and Grass-Like Plants)
Narrow
Intermediate
Wide
Stem Shape (Grass-Likes Only)
Triangular (solid)
Round (solid)
Flat and tightly folded (solid)
Stigmas (Grass-Likes Only)
2
3
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Sorted by Common Name A → Z
Melica subulata
(Griseb.) Scribn.
Alaska oniongrass
Meliceae
Spartina gracilis
Trin. (Synonyms:
Sporobolus hookerianus
)
Alkali cordgrass
Cynodonteae
Phleum alpinum
L.
Alpine timothy, mountian timothy
Poeae
Beckmannia syzigachne
(Steud.) Fernald
American sloughgrass
Poeae
Carex simulata
Mack.
Analogue sedge, short-beaked sedge
Cyperaceae
Vulpia myuros
(L.) C.C. Gmel. (Synonyms:
Festuca megalura
;
Festuca myuros
;
Vulpia megalura
)
Annual fescue, rattail sixweeks grass, rattail fescue
Poeae
Deschampsia danthonioides
(Trin.) Munro
Annual hairgrass
Poeae
Polypogon monspeliensis
(L.) Desf. (Synonyms:
Alopecurus monspeliensis
)
Annual rabbitsfoot grass, rabbitfoot grass, beardgrass
Poeae
Juncus balticus
Willd. (Synonyms:
Juncus arcticus
ssp.
littoralis
)
Baltic rush, wire rush, wiregrass
Juncaceae
Hainardia cylindrica
(Willd.) Greuter
Barbgrass
Poeae
Echinochloa crus-galli
(L.) P. Beauv. (Synonyms:
Panicum crus-galli
)
Barnyardgrass, barnyard grass, cockspur grass, Japanese millet
Paniceae
Leymus cinereus
(Scribn. & Merr.) Á. Löve (Synonyms:
Elymus cinereus
)
Basin wildrye, Great Basin wildrye, giant wildrye
Triticeae
Polypogon viridis
(Gouan) Breistr.
Beardless rabbitsfoot grass
Poeae
Leymus triticoides
(Buckley) Pilg. (Synonyms:
Elymus triticoides
)
Beardless wildrye, creeping wildrye
Triticeae
Carex vesicaria
L. (Synonyms: inflated sedge;
Carex inflata
;
Carex monile
)
Blister sedge
Cyperaceae
Elymus glaucus
Buckley
Blue wildrye
Triticeae
Pseudoroegneria spicata
(Pursh) Á. Löve (Synonyms:
Agropyron spicatum
;
Elymus spicatus
)
Bluebunch wheatgrass
Triticeae
Elymus elymoides
(Raf.) Swezey (Synonyms:
Sitanion hystrix
)
Bottlebrush squirreltail, squirreltail
Triticeae
Cynosurus echinatus
L. (Synonyms: annual dogtail, dogtail grass, hedgehog dogtail grass)
Bristly dogstail grass
POEAE
Poa bulbosa
L.
Bulbous bluegrass
Poeae
Bromus carinatus
Hook. & Arn.
California brome
Bromeae
Melica imperfecta
Trin.
California melic
Meliceae
Danthonia californica
Bol. (Synonyms:
Danthonia americana
)
California oatgrass, California danthonia, California wild oat-grass
Danthonieae
Poa compressa
L.
Canada bluegrass, flat-stem bluegrass
Poeae
Secale cereale
L. (Synonyms:
Secale montanum
;
Secale strictum
;
Triticum cereale
)
Cereal rye, common rye, winter rye, cultivated rye
Triticeae
Schoenoplectus americanus
(Pers.) Volkart ex Schinz & R. Keller
Chairmaker's bulrush, Olney’s three-square bulrush
Cyperaceae
Bromus tectorum
L. (Synonyms:
Anisantha tectorum
)
Cheatgrass, downy brome, downy bromegrass, downy chess, early chess
Bromeae
Achnatherum nelsonii
(Scribn.) Barkworth ssp.
nelsonii
(Synonyms:
Stipa nelsonii
)
Columbia needlegrass, Nelson’s needlegrass
Stipeae
Digitaria sanguinalis
(L.) Scop.
Common crabgrass, hairy grabgrass
Paniceae
Phragmites australis
(Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Synonyms:
Phragmites communis
)
Common reed, giant reed, phragmites
Arundineae
Juncus effusus
L.
Common rush, soft rush
Juncaceae
Eleocharis palustris
(L.) Roem. & Schult. (Synonyms:
Eleocharis macrostachya
;
Eleocharis smallii
;
Eleocharis xyridiformis
)
Common spikerush, creeping spikerush
Cyperaceae
Agrostis stolonifera
L. (Synonyms:
Agrostis alba
)
Creeping bentgrass, redtop bentgrass
Poeae
Achnatherum coronatum
(Thurb.) Barkworth (Synonyms: Stipa coronata)
Crested needle grass, giant ricegrass
Stipeae
Agropyron cristatum
(L.) Gaertn.
Crested wheatgrass
Triticeae
Parapholis incurva
(L.) C.E. Hubbard
Curved sicklegrass
Poeae
Paspalum dilatatum
Poir.
Dallisgrass
Paniceae
Muhlenbergia rigens
(Benth.) Hitchc.
Deergrass
Cynodonteae
Apera interrupta
(L.) P. Beauv. (Synonyms:
Agrostis interrupta
)
Dense silkybent, interrupted windgrass
Poeae
Carex douglasii
Boott
Douglas' sedge
Cyperaceae
Nassella lepida
(Hitchc.) Barkworth
Foothill needlegrass
Stipeae
Pennisetum setaceum
(Forssk.) Chiov.
Fountaingrass
Paniceae
Glyceria striata
(Lam.) Hitchc. (Synonyms:
Glyceria elata
;
Glyceria nervata
;
Panicularia nervata
;
Panicularia striata
)
Fowl mannagrass, tall mannagrass
Meliceae
Hordeum jubatum
L.
Foxtail barley
Triticeae
Carex geyeri
Boott
Geyer's sedge, elk sedge
Cyperaceae
Arundo donax
L.
Giant reed
Arundineae
Leymus condensatus
(J. Presl) Á. Löve
Giant wildrye
Triticeae
Lamarckia aurea
(L.) Moench
Goldentop grass
Poeae
Setaria viridis
(L.) P. Beauv.
Green bristlegrass
Paniceae
Phalaris aquatica
L.
Harding grass, bulbous canarygrass
Poeae
Carex hoodii
Boott
Hood's sedge
Cyperaceae
Festuca idahoensis
Elmer
Idaho fescue
Poeae
Achnatherum hymenoides
(Roem. & Schult.) Barkworth (Synonyms:
Oryzopsis hymenoides
;
Stipa hymenoides
)
Indian ricegrass
Stipeae
Thinopyrum intermedium
(Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey (Synonyms:
Agropyron intermedium
;
Elytrigia intermedia
;
Elymus hispidus
)
Intermediate wheatgrass
Triticeae
Lolium perenne
L. ssp.
multiflorum
(Lam.) Husnot
Italian ryegrass
Poeae
Bromus japonicus
Thunb.
Japanese brome
Bromeae
Sorghum halepense
(L.) Pers.
Johnsongrass
Andropogoneae
Aegilops cylindrica
Host (Synonyms:
Triticum cylindricum
;
Cylindropyrum cylindricum
)
Jointed goatgrass
Triticeae
Poa pratensis
L.
Kentucky bluegrass
Poeae
Achnatherum lettermanii
(Vasey) Barkworth (Synonyms:
Stipa lettermanii
)
Letterman's needlegrass
Stipeae
Ehrharta longiflora
Sm.
Longflowered veldtgrass
Ehrharteae
Carex multicostata
Mack. (Synonyms:
Carex pachycarpa
)
Manyrib sedge
Cyperaceae
Hordeum brachyantherum
Nevski
Meadow barley
Triticeae
Alopecurus pratensis
L.
Meadow foxtail
Poeae
Taeniatherum caput-medusae
(L.) Nevski (Synonyms:
Elymus caput-medusae
;
Taeniatherum asperum
)
Medusahead
Triticeae
Bromus marginatus
Nees ex Steud.
Mountain brome
Bromeae
Poa fendleriana
(Steud.) Vasey (Synonyms:
Poa longiligula
)
Muttongrass, mutton bluegrass
Poeae
Melinis repens
(Willd.) Zizka
Natal grass
Paniceae
Carex nebrascensis
Dewey
Nebraska sedge
Cyperaceae
Hesperostipa comata
(Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth (Synonyms:
Stipa comata
)
Needle-and-thread
Stipeae
Carex utriculata
Boott (Synonyms:
Carex rostrata
;
Carex inflata
)
Northwest Territory sedge, beaked sedge
Cyperaceae
Danthonia unispicata
(Thurb.) Munro ex Macoun
Onespike danthonia, onespike oatgrass, oneside oatgrass, few-flower wild oat-grass
Danthonieae
Melica bulbosa
Geyer ex Porter & J.M. Coult. (Synonyms:
Bromelica bulbosa
)
Oniongrass
Meliceae
Dactylis glomerata
L.
Orchardgrass
Poeae
Agrostis avenacea
J.F. Gmel. (Synonyms:
Agrostis retrofracta
,
Lachnagrostis filiformis
)
Pacific bentgrass, New Zealand wind grass, fairy grass
Poeae
Cortaderia selloana
(Schult. & Schult. f.) Asch. & Graebn. (Synonyms:
Gynerium argenteum
,
Cortaderia dioica
)
Pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass
Danthonieae
Ehrharta erecta
Lam.
Panic veldtgrass
Ehrharteae
Scirpus microcarpus
J. Presl & C. Presl (Synonyms:
Scirpus rubrotinctus
)
Panicled bulrush
Cyperaceae
Calamagrostis rubescens
Buckley
Pinegrass, pine reedgrass
Poeae
Juncus tenuis
Willd. (Synonyms:
Juncus bicornis
,
Juncus macer
)
Poverty rush, field rush, path rush, slender rush, wiregrass
Juncaceae
Koeleria macrantha
(Ledeb.) Schult. (Synonyms:
Koeleria cristata
;
Koeleria nitida
;
Koeleria pyramidata
)
Prairie junegrass, junegrass
Poeae
Brachypodium distachyon
(L.) P. Beauv.
Purple false brome
Brachypodieae
Nassella pulchra
(Hitchc.) Barkworth
Purple needlegrass
Stipeae
Aristida purpurea
Nutt. (Synonyms:
Aristida fendleriana
;
Aristida longiseta
)
Purple threeawn, Fendler threeawn, red threeawn, wiregrass, dogtown grass, prairie threeawn
Aristideae
Elymus repens
(L.) Gould (Synonyms:
Agropyron repens
;
Elytrigia repens
)
Quackgrass, couchgrass
Triticeae
Bromus briziformis
Fisch. & C.A. Mey.
Rattlesnake brome
Bromeae
Briza maxima
L.
Rattlesnake grass, big quaking grass, great quaking grass, greater quaking-grass, large quaking grass, blowfly grass, shelly grass
Poeae
Bromus rubens
L. (Synonyms:
Anisantha rubens
;
Bromus madritensis
ssp.
rubens
)
Red brome
Bromeae
Phalaris arundinacea
L.
Reed canarygrass
Poeae
Bromus catharticus
Vahl
Rescuegrass
Bromeae
Bromus diandrus
Roth (Synonyms:
Bromus rigidus
)
Ripgut brome
Bromeae
Distichlis spicata
(L.) Greene (Synonyms:
Distichlis stricta
)
Saltgrass, inland saltgrass, alkali saltgrass
Cynodonteae
Sporobolus cryptandrus
(Torr.) A. Gray (Synonyms:
Agrostis cryptandra
)
Sand dropseed
Cynodonteae
Poa secunda
J. Presl
Sandberg bluegrass
Poeae
Vulpia octoflora
(Walter) Rydb. (Synonyms:
Festuca octoflora
)
Sixweeks fescue, sixweeks grass, common sixweeks grass
Poeae
Deschampsia elongata
(Hook.) Munro (Synonyms:
Aira elongata
)
Slender hairgrass
Poeae
Avena barbata
Pott ex Link
Slender oat
Poeae
Elymus trachycaulus
(Link) Gould ex Shinners ssp.
trachycaulus
(Synonyms:
Agropyron trachycaulum
)
Slender wheatgrass
Triticeae
Vulpia microstachys
(Nutt.) Munro
Small fescue
Poeae
Luzula parviflora
(Ehrh.) Desv. (Synonyms:
Juncus parviflorus
;
Luzula divaricata
;
Luzula fastigiata
)
Smallflowered woodrush
Juncaceae
Carex microptera
Mack. (Synonyms:
Carex festivella
;
Carex limnophila
)
Smallwing sedge
Cyperaceae
Piptatherum miliaceum
(L.) Coss.
Smilograss
Stipeae
Hordeum murinum
L.
Smooth barley
Triticeae
Bromus inermis
Leyss.
Smooth brome
Bromeae
Bromus hordeaceus
L. (Synonyms: Soft chess;
Bromus mollis
)
Soft brome
Bromeae
Bromus hordeaceus
L. (Synonyms:
Bromus mollis
)
Soft brome, soft chess
Bromeae
Leucopoa kingii
(S. Watson) W.A. Weber (Synonyms:
Festuca confinis
;
Festuca kingii
;
Hesperochloa kingii
;
Poa kingii
)
Spike fescue, king fescue, spikegrass
Poeae
Trisetum spicatum
(L.) K. Richt. (Synonyms:
Aira spicata
;
Trisetum montanum
;
Trisetum subspicatum
;
Trisetum triflorum
;
Trisetum villosissimum
)
Spike trisetum, downy oatgrass, narrow false-oats
Poeae
Juncus acutus
L.
Spiny rush
Juncaceae
Eragrostis cilianensis
(All.) Vign. ex Janchen
Stinkgrass
Cynodonteae
Juncus ensifolius
Wikstr.
Swordleaf rush, dagger-leaf rush
Juncaceae
Cyperus eragrostis
Lam.
Tall cyperus, tall flatsedge, tall umbrella-sedge
Cyperaceae
Schedonorus arundinaceus
(Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons. (Synonyms:
Festuca arundinacea
;
Lolium arundinaceum
;
Schedonorus phoenix
Tall fescue
Poeae
Arrhenatherum elatius
(L.) P. Beauv. ex J. Presl & C. Presl
Tall oatgrass
Poeae
Thinopyrum ponticum
(Podp.) Z.-W. Liu & R.-C. Wang (Synonyms:
Agropyron elongatum
)
Tall wheatgrass, rush wheatgrass, Eurasian quack grass
Triticeae
Elymus lanceolatus
(Scribn. & J.G. Sm.) Gould subsp.
lanceolatus
(Synonyms:
Agropyron dasystachyum
)
Thickspike wheatgrass
Triticeae
Achnatherum thurberianum
(Piper) Barkworth (Synonyms:
Stipa thurberiana
)
Thurber's needlegrass
Stipeae
Danthonia intermedia
Vasey (Synonyms:
Danthonia canadensis
)
Timber oatgrass, intermediate oatgrass, timber wild oatgrass, timber danthonia
Danthonieae
Phleum pratense
L.
Timothy, common timothy, meadow timothy, field timothy, herd’s grass
Poeae
Deschampsia cespitosa
(L.) P. Beauv.
Tufted hairgrass, salt-and-pepper grass
Poeae
Cyperus involucratus
Rottb. (Synonyms:
Cyperus alternifolius
auct. non L.;
Cyperus flabelliformis
Rottb.)
Umbrella plant, umbrella papyrus, umbrella sedge, umbrella palm
Cyperaceae
Carex aquatilis
Wahlenb.
Water sedge
Cyperaceae
Achnatherum occidentale
(Thurb.) Barkworth (Synonyms:
Stipa occidentalis
)
Western needlegrass
Stipeae
Pascopyrum smithii
(Rydb.) Á. Löve (Synonyms:
Agropyron smithii
;
Elymus smithii
)
Western wheatgrass
Triticeae
Poa wheeleri
Vasey (Synonyms:
Poa nervosa
)
Wheeler's bluegrass
Poeae
Avena fatua
L.
Wild oat
Poeae
Ventenata dubia
(Leers) Coss. (Synonyms:
Avena dubia
;
Ventenata avenacea
)
Wiregrass, ventenata, North Africa grass
Poeae
Panicum capillare
L.
Witchgrass, old witchgrass
Paniceae
Carex pellita
Muhl. ex Willd. (Synonyms:
Carex lanuginosa
)
Woolly sedge
Cyperaceae
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