1	Lemma completely glabrous except sometimes for two tufts of hair at the base		Piptatherum vicarium
+	Lemma variously hairy on the body		(2)
2 (1)	Awn terminal (or if minutely subterminal then more than 6 mm long); lemma entire at tip; anther tips always bearded		(3)
+	Awn clearly subterminal with a sharp bend at the base; lemma minutely but distinctly bilobed at the tip; anther tips bearded or not		(6)
3 (2)	Awn usually exceeding 6 mm		(4)
+	Awn rarely exceeding 4 mm		(5)
4 (3)	Lemma at least (4.5-)5 mm long; awn without a constriction, continuous with the lemma tip and subpersistent		Piptatherum aequiglume
+	Lemma 3-4(-5) mm long; awn with a distinct constriction at the very base across which it readily disarticulates		Piptatherum munroi
5 (3)	Lemma ovate, 3.2-4.5 mm long, 1.3-1.5 mm wide, partially hairy, glabrous at the tip and along the dorsal line, the lower half usually glabrescent		Piptatherum baluchistanicum
+	Lemma narrowly lanceolate to almost linear, 4-6.5 mm long, rarely shorter, 0.8-1.3(-1.5)mm wide, hairy all over with stiff hairs		Piptatherum laterale
6 (2)	Anther tips distinctly bearded; lemma with hairs c.0.5 mm long, these extending to the tip and ± concealing the lobes; lemma body narrowly lanceolate to almost linear		Piptatherum gracile
+	Anther tips glabrous or with a few hairs, but never distinctly bearded; lemma with hairs 0.2-0.3 mm long, these not extending to the tip; lemma body ovate to elliptic, often slightly beaked at the tip		Piptatherum hilariae