Key to Spiked and Spike-Like Grasses that Don't Look Like Wheat
In spiked grasses there are no branches on the seedhead, not even short ones. If the seedhead of an
unknown grass looks narrow and compact and looks like a spike but it doesn't look like wheat, search this page.
If uncertain, search both the wheats and non-wheats.
I have placed both spiked and spike-like grasses in this section.
Fiddle with the seedhead to see if the spikelets ("seeds") are directly attached to the stem itself (the rachis).
If they are, it is a true spike. Conversely, spike-like means if you look closely, or pull apart the seedhead, you will
see that there are branches, so the grass is spike-like, not a true spike.
Sometimes spiked or spike-like
grasses look soft and puffy, hiding the stem top. If your unknown looks puffy,
try below or go
back to the Puffs section of the key.
