1	Culm sheaths from lower and mid-culm without blotches; blades erect and imbricate at apex of shoots; culm intranode ca. 5 mm; rhizome internodes with ring of air canals; flowering branchlets capitate		(2)
+	Culm sheaths from lower and mid-culm ± blotched with brown spots and markings; blade usually horizontal or reflexed, rarely erect; culm intranode ca. 3 mm; rhizome internodes without air canals; flowering branchlets spicate, rarely subcapitate		(20)
2 (1)	Culm sheath auricles large, triangular or falcate		(3)
+	Culm sheath auricles small and ovate or absent		(11)
3 (2)	Culm sheath ligule broad, short, width more than 8 × length, shortly ciliate		(4)
+	Culm sheath ligule narrow, tall, width less than 8 × length (or broader in P. aurita and then both culm and branch sheath scar fringed with rust-colored setulae), laciniate with stouter, longer cilia at margin (minutely ciliate in P. bissetii and P. aureosulcata)		(5)
4 (3)	Culm sheath auricles narrowly falcate, ascendant; leaves 2 per ultimate branch.		43 P. lofushanensis
+	Culm sheath auricles very broad, contiguous with and extending from swollen cupped base of blade, absent on mid- and lower culm; leaves 1(or 2) per ultimate branch.		44 P. nidularia
5 (3)	Culm sheaths with milky-white or gray-white stripes at least distally or marginally, or in P. bissetii not striped and then sheath ligule ciliolate		(6)
+	Culm sheaths without milky-white or gray-white stripes		(8)
6 (5)	Culm sheaths glabrous with milky-white stripes throughout; culm internodes with green or yellow stripes or entirely green; some culms with a few geniculate nodes near base; sheath auricles conspicuously joined to base of blade.		26 P. aureosulcata
+	Culm sheaths hairy, with gray-white stripes on upper and lateral parts; culm internodes green, not striped; culms without geniculate nodes near base; sheath auricles sometimes slightly connected with sheath blade		(7)
7 (6)	Lower culm with hairy sheaths; sheath ligule ciliolate.		27 P. bissetii
+	Lower and mid-culm sheaths hairy; sheath ligule long ciliate.		28 P. varioauriculata
8 (5)	Culm sheaths red-brown; sheath ligule strongly convex, peaked or arcuate.		30 P. nigra
+	Culm sheaths green or yellow, tinged with purple; sheath ligule truncate or gently arcuate		(9)
9 (8)	Internodes of young culms glabrous; sheath scar of culms and branches densely fringed with rusty hairs in first two years.		41 P. rubromarginata
+	Internodes of young culms sparsely pubescent; sheath scar of culms and branches without hairs		(10)
10 (9)	Leaves 2 per ultimate branch; lower and mid-culm sheath strigose with longer hairs at base; rhizomes without air canals.		29 P. guizhouensis
+	Leaves 1 or 2 per ultimate branchlet; lower culm sheath pubescent; rhizomes with a ring of air canals.		42 P. veitchiana
11 (2)	Culm sheaths with dark purple or dark brown margins when fresh; sheath ligule dark purple with long cilia		(12)
+	Culm sheaths without dark purple or dark brown margins when fresh; sheath ligule green or brown with short or long cilia		(13)
12 (11)	Culm sheath blade distally crinkled; culm sheaths glabrous at base.		10 P. virella
+	Culm sheath blade not distally crinkled; culm sheaths pubescent at base, at least at lower nodes.		11 P. shuchengensis
13 (11)	Culm sheath ligule narrow, with cilia to 5 mm, oral setae erect.		24 P. robustiramea
+	Culm sheath ligule broader, with cilia less than 3 mm		(14)
14 (13)	Culm sheath blade usually flat, narrower than ligule; internodes of young culms pubescent		(15)
+	Culm sheath blade usually undulate, broad; triangular to triangular-lanceolate, base equaling width of ligule; internodes of young culm glabrous or sparsely pubescent		(16)
15 (14)	Leaf sheath initially pubescent; blade abaxially puberulent; sheath ligule truncate or weakly concave		45 P. rivalis
+	Leaf sheath initially glabrous; blade abaxially glabrous; sheath ligule ± convex.		46 P. carnea
16 (14)	Culm sheath light brown or red-purple; sheath ligule arcuate or acutely convex; leaf blade small, to 6 cm.		51 P. parvifolia
+	Culm sheaths green or dark green, usually tinged with purple; sheath ligule concave to convex; leaf blade ca. 8 cm or more		(17)
17 (16)	Culm sheath ligule strongly concave, green when fresh.		50 P. rubicunda
+	Culm sheath ligule weakly concave to convex, brown or purple when fresh		(18)
18 (17)	Culm sheath dark green with dark purple stripes; ligule inconspicuously ciliolate; auricles absent.		49 P. atrovaginata
+	Culm sheath green, with or without purple stripes; ligule conspicuously ciliate; auricles usually present but small or absent in slender shoots		(19)
19 (18)	Culm sheath glabrous or subglabrous, not striped but tinted with purple along margins and apex when fresh.		47 P. heteroclada
+	Culm sheath strigose, striped with purple when fresh.		48 P. stimulosa
20 (1)	Culm sheath auricles and oral setae absent; culm sheaths glabrous, occasionally scabrous or sparsely strigose on upper or marginal portions		(21)
+	Culm sheath oral setae present, or auricles and oral setae present (in P. mannii auricles and oral setae sometimes absent, but then culm sheath rigid and fragile when fresh, margins distally purple-red); culm sheaths ± strigose, rarely glabrous		(41)
21 (20)	Culm internodes with minute holes or crystalline spots (visible under 10 × lens)		(22)
+	Culm internodes without holes or spots, or if with holes, culms initially puberulent		(23)
22 (21)	Nodal ridge obsolete or less prominent than sheath scar in unbranched nodes; culm sheath ligule fringed with pale green or white cilia.		1 P. sulphurea
+	Nodal ridge prominent in unbranched nodes; culm sheath ligule with purple-red cilia.		2 P. makinoi
23 (21)	Sheath scar on young culms and base of culm sheaths densely pubescent or sparsely setose		(24)
+	Culm sheath scar on young culms and base of culm sheaths glabrous		(27)
24 (23)	Culm internodes strongly shortened and ventricose at culm base, inflated below nodes in mid-culm; culm sheath ligule short, 1–2 mm		4 P. aurea
+	Culm internodes normal; culm sheath ligule long		(25)
25 (24)	Culm sheaths with dark purple margins when fresh; ligule minutely ciliate, also with scabrous dark purple bristles.		11 P. shuchengensis
+	Culm sheaths without dark purple margins; ligule white ciliate only		(26)
26 (25)	Culm sheath scar on young culms and base of culm sheaths fringed with pubescence.		3 P. meyeri
+	Culm sheath scar on young culms and base of culm sheaths fringed with both pubescence and setae.		5 P. verrucosa
27 (23)	Culm sheath ligule narrow, tall, width less than 5 × length, truncate or convex at base, not decurrent or if decurrent, upper portion of culm sheaths scabrous between veins; blade usually flat, sometimes weakly crinkled		(28)
+	Culm sheath ligule usually broad and short; convex at base, usually ± decurrent, rarely not so; blade crinkled or occasionally flat		(35)
28 (27)	Culm sheaths distally scabrous between veins; culms tinged with dark purple blotches on lower internodes initially		(29)
+	Culm sheaths glabrous, rarely scabrous near apex, sometimes sparsely setose; culms without initial blotches		(30)
29 (28)	Leaf blade abaxially proximally pilose; sheath ligule truncate or convex, not decurrent on both flanks.		6 P. nuda
+	Leaf blade abaxially glabrous; sheath ligule strongly convex, decurrent on both flanks.		7 P. arcana
30 (28)	Culm sheath ligule with short white cilia, occasionally intermixed with some longer ones		(31)
+	Culm sheath ligule with long, dark brown or dark purple cilia, or if with white cilia, culm sheaths milky-white		(33)
31 (30)	Culm sheath blade lanceolate or linear-lanceolate; sheath ligule brown, apex arcuate, convex at middle.		9 P. propinqua
+	Culm sheath blade hand-shaped or lanceolate; sheath ligule dark purple-brown or pale brown, apex truncate or weakly convex		(32)
32 (31)	Culm sheath ligule dark purple-brown; culm sheaths purple-brown when fresh; culm internodes initially thickly white powdery throughout.		8 P. glauca
+	Culm sheath ligule lighter in color, purple-brown to pale brown; culm sheaths brown-green when fresh; culm internodes initially thinly white powdery on upper half.		13 P. flexuosa
33 (30)	Culm sheaths with dark purple margins when fresh; blade erect, distally crinkled.		10 P. virella
+	Culm sheaths without dark purple margins when fresh; blade horizontal or recurved, not crinkled		(34)
34 (33)	Culm sheaths milky-white to pale yellow; ligule fringed with thin white cilia.		12 P. angusta
+	Culm sheaths green-brown; sheath ligule fringed with stout, dark brown cilia.		13 P. flexuosa
35 (27)	Culm sheath ligule convex, weakly or not decurrent; culm sheaths tinged purple or purple-red		(36)
+	Culm sheath ligule conspicuously convex, strongly decurrent or if not decurrent then fringed with bristles ca. 5 mm; culm sheath green-brown or brown-red		(38)
36 (35)	Culm sheath ligule marginally finely sinuate, fringed with white cilia.		14 P. glabrata
+	Culm sheath ligule marginally not sinuate, ciliate or with long, purple-red hairs		(37)
37 (36)	Culm internodes initially white powdery; culm nodes not purple-tinged; sheath ligule ciliate.		15 P. iridescens
+	Culm internodes not white powdery; culm nodes initially purple-tinged; sheath ligule shortly ciliate, long hairy.		16 P. tianmuensis
38 (35)	Culm sheath ligule with fimbriae ca. 5 mm.		17 P. fimbriligula
+	Culm sheath ligule with cilia less than 5 mm		(39)
39 (38)	Culm sheath sparsely strigose; blade flat or weakly undulate.		18 P. acuta
+	Culm sheath glabrous; blade strongly crinkled, at least in mid-culm region		(40)
40 (39)	Mid-culm internodes more than 25 cm, initially slightly white powdery; culm nodes not initially purple		19 P. vivax
+	Mid-culm internodes less than 25 cm, initially thickly white powdery; culm nodes initially purple.		20 P. violascens
41 (20)	Culm sheath auricles small or nearly absent and oral setae long, or auricles large and falcate with sheath ligule densely fringed with long cilia ca. 8 cm		(42)
+	Culm sheath auricles large, usually falcate, or if absent or minute then culm sheaths rigid and fragile when fresh, with small, sparse spots; sheath ligule shortly ciliate		(47)
42 (41)	Culm internodes initially densely pubescent; nodal ridge inconspicuously raised in unbranched nodes or less prominent than sheath scar		(43)
+	Culm internodes initially glabrous or subglabrous; nodal ridge raised in unbranched nodes, equal to or more prominent than leaf scar		(44)
43 (42)	Culm internodes progressively shortened toward culm base and sometimes ventricose, nodes of lower culm dense; leaf blade 4–11 cm.		21 P. edulis
+	Culm internodes not greatly shortened, never ventricose, nodes of lower culm more remote; leaf blade 10–15 cm.		22 P. kwangsiensis
44 (42)	Culm sheaths without spots or with smaller sparser spots and milky-white or green-brown stripes; oral setae erect.		24 P. robustiramea
+	Culm sheaths with spots but without conspicuous stripes; oral setae radiate or erect		(45)
45 (44)	Internodes of young culms thickly white powdery; culm sheath ligule with cilia to 1 cm.		31 P. incarnata
+	Internodes of young culms not white powdery or very thinly white powdery; culm sheath ligule shortly ciliate		(46)
46 (45)	Culm sheaths densely strigose; blade crinkled; sheath scar densely pubescent initially.		23 P. circumpilis
+	Culm sheaths glabrous or scarcely strigose; blade flat or occasionally crinkled at apex; sheath scar glabrous		35 P. reticulata
47 (41)	Internodes of young culms hairy, sheath blade flat or wavy to crinkled, erect and usually ± imbricate at apex of shoots or sometimes diffuse in P. aureosulcata		(48)
+	Internodes of young culms glabrous; sheath blade usually strongly crinkled, horizontal or rarely erect, usually not imbricate at apex of shoots		(53)
48 (47)	Culm sheath ligule short, broad, width ca. 10 × length, not lacerate; culm sheaths rigid and fragile when fresh, purple along upper margins.		25 P. mannii
+	Culm sheath ligule longer, usually lacerate at apex; culm sheaths neither rigid nor fragile when fresh, without purple margins		(49)
49 (48)	Culm sheaths red-brown or purple-yellow, without milky-white or gray-white stripes		(50)
+	Culm sheaths green with milky-white or gray-white stripes, rarely not striped		(51)
50 (49)	Culm sheaths sparsely strigose; sheath ligule truncate to convex.		29 P. guizhouensis
+	Culm sheaths densely strigose; sheath ligule strongly convex, usually peaked at apex.		30 P. nigra
51 (49)	Culm sheaths glabrous with milky-white stripes throughout; some basal culm nodes geniculate		26 P. aureosulcata
+	Culm sheaths ± strigose, with gray-white distal and marginal stripes; culms without geniculate nodes		(52)
52 (51)	Sheaths of lower culm strigose; sheath ligule ciliolate.		27 P. bissetii
+	Sheaths of lower and mid-culm strigose; sheath ligule long ciliate.		28 P. varioauriculata
53 (47)	Culm sheath ligule ca. 2 mm or more, with cilia equal to or longer than ligule height.		31 P. incarnata
+	Culm sheath ligule less than 2 mm, with shorter cilia		(54)
54 (53)	Culm sheaths pale yellow when fresh, sometimes tinged with red or green, with small, sparse spots; sheath auricles green when fresh.		32 P. dulcis
+	Culm sheaths colored with other hues, sheath auricles not green when fresh, or if green, culm sheaths with both long and small spots		(55)
55 (54)	Culm sheaths brown-red when fresh, with sparse or rather dense small spots, distal margins dark purple		(56)
+	Culm sheaths not brown-red when fresh, with spots of various sizes, sometimes with only small spots but then sheath ligule narrower and taller, without dark purple margins		(57)
56 (55)	Culm sheath ligule broad, width ca. 10 × height, apex arcuate or truncate; culm internodes initially white powdery.		33 P. platyglossa
+	Culm sheath ligule narrower, apex arcuate or centrally prominent; culm internodes glossy or slightly white powdery initially.		34 P. rutila
57 (55)	Culm sheath blade flat or weakly crinkled, linear; sheath auricles deciduous or sometimes absent.		35 P. reticulata
+	Culm sheath blade strongly crinkled		(58)
58 (57)	Culm sheath ligule narrow, taller, width less than 6 × height, peaked or arcuate at apex; culm sheaths with small spots		(59)
+	Culm sheath ligule broader, truncate or arcuate; culm sheaths with dense small to large spots		(60)
59 (58)	Culm sheath ligule strongly convex, ± peaked, decurrent; culm internodes not ribbed-striate.		36 P. viridiglaucescens
+	Culm sheath ligule arcuate, sometimes weakly decurrent; culm internodes ribbed-striate.		37 P. elegans
60 (58)	Culm nodes strongly elevated, nodal ridge much more prominent than sheath scar.		38 P. prominens
+	Culm nodes moderately elevated, nodal ridge slightly more prominent than or equaling sheath scar		(61)
61 (60)	Culm sheaths glabrous or subglabrous, sheath ligule green when fresh; culm internodes initially white powdery.		39 P. yunhoensis
+	Culm sheaths strigose; sheath auricles purple-red when fresh; culm internodes initially scarcely white powdery.		40 P. nigella