POACEAE: Grass Family
KEY TO PHYLLOSTACHYS SPECIES
1. Usually basal 4 but as many as 13 consecutive internodes at or near base of most main culms each ca 4-8 cm, nodes between these mostly at oblique angles ......................................................................P. aurea
1. Basal internode of main culm mostly 1-12 cm, the 3 immediately above distinctly longer, ribs at nodes mostly all straight across............................ 2
2. Grooved or flattened strip on internode directly above most branches yellowish-green (sometimes faintly so when heavily shaded), the remainder of internode dull greenish ............................................................................................................................... P. aureosulcata
2. Grooved or flattened strip on internode directly above branches about same color(s) as remainder of internode ................. 3
3. Internodes of largest culm densely velvety at first; outerside of culm sheaths with abundant prominent somewhat erect brown hairs, especially on upper portion ......................................................................................................... P. edulis
3. Internodes of largest culm glabrous from the beginning or, if hairy, not velvety so; outerside of culm sheaths lacking prominent brown hairs ..................................................................................................................................... 4
4. Basal internode of largest culm ca 3.5 cm, fifth one to ca 20 cm; culm sheaths without auricles ................... P. sulpherea
4. Basal internode of largest culm to 8.5-12 cm, fifth one to 22-33 cm; culm sheaths with auricles present or absent....................... 5
5. Basal internode of largest culm to 15 cm across; upper culm sheaths with auricles, outerside streaked and/or more or less spotted or mottled with purple or dark brown .................................................................................... P. bambusoides
5. Basal internode of largest culm to 3.2 cm across; upper culm sheaths with or without auricles, outerside not streaked and/or spotted or mottled as above, although sometimes sparsely so .................................................................................. 6
6. Basal internode of main culm ca 8.5 cm; culm sheaths greenish-buff to pale buff to ruddy-buff on outerside, never striped, usually with sparse soft erect light-colored hairs, and generally bearing auricles .......................................... P. nigra
6. Basal internode of main culm ca 12 cm; culm sheaths olive to buff on outerside, often more or less striped, glabrous, and lacking auricles ...................................................................................................... P. rubromarginata