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.

Selected References

Reeder, J.R. 1965. The tribe Orcuttieae and the subtribes of the Pappophoreae (Gramineae). Madrono 18:18-28

Reeder, J.R. and D.N. Singh. 1968. Chromosome numbers in the tribe Pappophoreae. Madrono 19:183-187.

Lower Taxa

Cottea, Enneapogon, Pappophorum

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