The first comprehensive exam on
Friday 19 October will start at
Triticeae: 1. a two-sided terminal spike with the spikelets laterally placed along the main rachis (i.e., the sides of the spikelets face the main rachis). 2. the glumes are often small, narrow, or transformed into an awn (excepting Agropyron, and especially Triticum and Aegilops with broad glumes having an acentric midrib).
Aveneae: 1. nearly always with large glumes. 2. many genera have awns from the back of the lemma (a trait found only in this tribe). 3. tendency to have contracted or spicate panicles.
Stipeae: 1. hardened (indurate) lemmas that are tightly rolled around the palea and flower; the lemma becomes like a seed coat. 2. a long awn from the tip of the lemma (deciduous in Oryzopsis). 3. strictly 1 floret per spikelet. 4. large papery glumes that contrast to the hard lemma (the glumes are comparable to Aveneae, but Aveneae may have more than one floret per spikelet and a long awn that when present arises from the back or lower two-thirds of the lemma).
Meliceae: 1. lemmas prominently ribbed and with a truncated tip. 2. closed leaf sheath (like Bromus of tribe Poeae). 3. aquatic or semi-aquatic (except Melica, onion grass, which is of montane grasslands, also like native Bromus species).
Poeae: 1. no distinctive traits distinguish this tribe. The membership in this tribe is defined by not belonging to one of the other four tribes of the cool season grass subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae includes three species-rich genera Bromus, Festuca, and Poa.
Also, be able to sight identify as well as possible all of the genera from these five tribes that are listed in the first lecture notes (14 Sept). Such an ability will expedite your ability to key out grasses especially during the exam.