Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida (the monocots) of the flowering plants. Plants of this family are usually called grasses; the shrub- or tree-like plants in this family are called bamboo (there are also herbaceous, non-woody bamboos). There are about 600 genera and some 9,000–10,000 or more species of grasses (Kew Index of World Grass Species). Plant communities dominated by Poaceae are called grasslands; it is estimated that grasslands comprise 20% of the vegetation cover of the earth. Grass species also occur in many other habitats, including wetlands, forests and tundra. Poaceae is often considered to be the most important of all plant families to human economies: it includes the staple food grains and cereal crops grown around the world, lawn and forage grasses, and bamboo, which is widely used for construction throughout east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
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Tags: forbs, Homesteading, Plants, native grasses. tendersweet ... emergent grasses, controlling phragmites, killing phragmites. Volunteer Grass: Friend or ...en.wordpress.com/tag/grasses/Ornamental Grasses — Blogs, Pictures, and more on WordPress
Ornamental Grass Companions ... Ornamental grasses ... "A grass for you" ...en.wordpress.com/tag/ornamental-grasses/Wild Grass
A recent comment on this blog brought up the name of Karl Blossfeldt, ... Rush to judgment. Thoreau's grasses. Botanical Garden. Beginning of Thoreaugrass blog ...thoreaugrass.blogspot.com/The Energy Blog: Prairie Grasses Yield More Energy Than Corn
... a study showing that prairie grasses are more energy efficient that corn ... The Return of The Energy Blog. Pickens Mesa Power Orders 1,000 MW of Wind Turbines ...thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/2006/12/prairie_grasses.h...Dirt By Amy Stewart: Ornamental Grasses
100% organic articles, essays, and rants by garden writer ... Photographer's Garden Blog. Plants are the Strangest People. Pollinators - Welcome. Reading Dirt ...blog.amystewart.com/ornamental-grasses.htmlPoaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida (the monocots) of the flowering plants. Plants of this family are usually called grasses; the shrub- or tree-like plants in this family are called bamboo (there are also herbaceous, non-woody bamboos). There are about 600 genera and some 9,000–10,000 or more species of grasses (Kew Index of World Grass Species). Plant communities dominated by Poaceae are called grasslands; it is estimated that grasslands comprise 20% of the vegetation cover of the earth. Grass species also occur in many other habitats, including wetlands, forests and tundra. Poaceae is often considered to be the most important of all plant families to human economies: it includes the staple food grains and cereal crops grown around the world, lawn and forage grasses, and bamboo, which is widely used for construction throughout east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The term "grass" is also applied (incorrectly) to many grass-like plants that are not members of the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes (Juncaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). This broad and general use of the word ‘grass' has lead to plants of the Poaceae often being called "true grasses".
Structure and growth
Grasses generally have the following characteristics (it is advisable to have a look at the image gallery for reference):
General aspects
Grass blades grow at the base of the blade and not from elongated stem tips. This low growth point evolved in response to grazing animals and allows grasses to be grazed or mown regularly without severe damage to the plant.
Reproduction
The fruit of Poaceae is a caryopsis. This means that the seed coat is fused to the fruit wall and thus, not separable from it (as in a maize kernel).
Growth
There are three general classifications of growth habit present in grasses; bunch-type (also called caespitose), stoloniferous, and rhizomatous.
The success of the grasses lies in part in their morphology and growth processes, and in part in their physiological diversity. Most of the grasses divide into two physiological groups, using the C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways for carbon fixation. The C4 grasses have a photosynthetic pathway linked to specialized Kranz leaf anatomy that particularly adapts them to hot climates and an atmosphere low in carbon dioxide.
C3 grasses are referred to as "cool season grasses" while C4 plants are considered "warm season grasses". All grasses can be annual or perennial.
