Poaceae

Poaceae Family: A Diverse World of Grasses

The Poaceae family, commonly known as the Grass Family, is one of the most important plant families on Earth, encompassing a vast array of grass species. These plants play a crucial role in the ecology of various ecosystems, serving as primary producers and providing food and shelter for numerous animal species, including humans. In this article, we will explore the Poaceae family, including its common names, native regions, general characteristics, major species, and other relevant information.

Common Names: The Poaceae family is widely known as the grass family. Grasses themselves are referred to by various common names, including Lawn Grass, Turf Grass, Cereal Grass, Bamboo, and many more, depending on the species and their uses.

Native Regions: Grasses are incredibly adaptable and can be found on every continent, except Antarctica. They inhabit a wide range of environments, from tropical rainforests to arctic tundras, making them one of the most diverse plant families in the world.

General Characteristics and Diversity of Poaceae:

The Poaceae family is characterized by its unique and recognizable features. The plants in this family are herbaceous, meaning they lack woody tissue and are generally non-woody. Their stems, known as culms, are typically hollow and jointed, providing flexibility and strength. Most grasses have long, narrow leaves with parallel veins, and their roots are fibrous and well-developed, allowing them to efficiently absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

One of the most distinctive features of grasses is their inflorescence, the arrangement of flowers on the plant. Grass flowers are typically small and inconspicuous, borne in specialized structures called spikelets. Each spikelet contains several florets, which are reduced flowers containing reproductive structures. The way these spikelets are arranged and organized on the grass plant varies among different species.

Genera and Species:

The Poaceae family is vast and diverse, comprising around 12,000 to 13,000 species and 600 to 700 genera. Some of the well-known genera in this family include:

1. Zea (Maize or Corn): Zea mays is one of the most significant cereal crops globally, serving as a staple food for millions of people.
2. Oryza (Rice): Oryza sativa is another major cereal crop that is a staple food for a large part of the world’s population.
3. Triticum (Wheat): Triticum aestivum is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crops, providing a vital source of nutrition in many regions.
4. Hordeum (Barley): Hordeum vulgare is a cereal crop mainly used for animal feed and in the production of alcoholic beverages.
5. Saccharum (Sugarcane): Saccharum officinarum is a significant source of sugar production worldwide.
6. Poa (Bluegrass): Poa pratensis is a common lawn grass known for its fine texture and attractive appearance.

Major Species:

The Poaceae family includes numerous grass species, each with its unique characteristics and ecological roles. Apart from the major species mentioned above, other notable grasses include:

1. Bamboo: A group of perennial grasses that can grow into large clumps or even form dense forests in tropical and subtropical regions. Bamboo is valued for its many uses, including construction, food, and paper production.
2. Pennisetum purpureum (Napier Grass): Widely cultivated as fodder for livestock in tropical regions due to its high yield and nutrient content.
3. Lolium perenne (Perennial Ryegrass): A popular grass used in pastures and lawns for its quick establishment and ability to tolerate grazing.
4. Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem): A native grass to North America, commonly found in prairies and used for forage and erosion control.

The Poaceae family, or grass family, is a diverse and essential group of plants that plays a significant role in the global ecosystem. From providing staple food crops like wheat, rice, and maize to serving as vital components of natural ecosystems, grasses have an indispensable impact on our lives. Understanding the characteristics, diversity, and major species of the Poaceae family helps us appreciate and protect these vital plants for the benefit of current and future generations.

The Genera in the Poaceae family include:

Aakia

Achnatherum

Aciachne

Acidosasa

Acostia

Acrachne

Acritochaete

Acroceras

Actinocladum

Adenochloa

Aegilops

Aegilotriticum

Aegopogon

Aeluropus

Afrotrichloris

Agenium

Agnesia

Agroelymus

Agrohordeum

Agropogon

Agropyron

Agropyropsis

Agrositanion

Agrostis

Agrostopoa

Agrotrigia

Aira

Airopsis

Alexfloydia

Alloeochaete

Allolepis

Alloteropsis

Alopecurus

Altoparadisium

Alvimia

Ammocalamagrostis

Ammochloa

Ammophila

Ampelocalamus

Ampelodesmos

Amphibromus

Amphicarpum

Amphipogon

Anadelphia

Anatherostipa

Ancistrachne

Ancistragrostis

Andropogon

Andropterum

Anemanthele

Aniselytron

Anisopogon

Annamocalamus

Anomochloa

Anthaenantiopsis

Anthenantia

Anthephora

Anthochloa

Anthosachne

Anthoxanthum

Antinoria

Apera

Aphanelytrum

Apluda

Apochiton

Apochloa

Apoclada

Apocopis

Arberella

Arctagrostis

Arctodupontia

Arctophila

Arctopoa

Aristida

Arrhenatherum

Arthragrostis

Arthraxon

Arthropogon

Arthrostylidium

Arundinaria

Arundinella

Arundo

Arundoclaytonia

Asthenochloa

Astrebla

Athroostachys

Atractantha

Aulonemia

Australopyrum

Austrochloris

Austroderia

Austrofestuca

Austrostipa

Avellinia

Avena

Avenella

Avenula

Axonopus

Bambusa

Baptorhachis

Bashania

Beckmannia

Bellardiochloa

Bergbambos

Bewsia

Bhidea

Blepharidachne

Boissiera

Bonia

Bothriochloa

Bouteloua

Brachiaria

Brachyachne

Brachychloa

Brachyelytrum

Brachypodium

Briza

Bromofestuca

Bromuniola

Bromus

Brylkinia

Buergersiochloa

Calamagrostis

Calammophila

Calamovilfa

Calyptochloa

Cambajuva

Canastra

Capeochloa

Capillipedium

Castellia

Catabrosa

Catabrosella

Catalepis

Catapodium

Cathariostachys

Cathestecum

Celtica

Cenchrus

Centotheca

Centropodia

Cephalostachyum

Ceratochloa

Chaetium

Chaetobromus

Chaetopoa

Chaetopogon

Chamaeraphis

Chandrasekharania

Chascolytrum

Chasechloa

Chasmanthium

Chasmopodium

Chevalierella

Chikusichloa

Chimaerochloa

Chimonobambusa

Chimonocalamus

Chionachne

Chionochloa

Chloothamnus

Chloris

Chlorocalymma

Chondrosum

Chrysochloa

Chrysopogon

Chusquea

Cinna

Cinnagrostis

Cladoraphis

Clausospicula

Cleistachne

Cleistochloa

Cleistogenes

Cochinchinochloa

Coelachne

Coelachyrum

Coelorachis

Coix

Colanthelia

Coleanthus

Coleataenia

Colpodium

Cornucopiae

Cortaderia

Corynephorus

Cottea

Craspedorhachis

Crinipes

Crithopsis

Crypsis

Cryptochloa

Ctenium

Cutandia

Cyathopus

Cymbachne

Cymbopogon

Cynochloris

Cynodon

Cynosurus

Cyperochloa

Cyphochlaena

Cyphonanthus

Cyrtochloa

Cyrtococcum

Dactylis

Dactyloctenium

Daknopholis

Danthonia

Danthoniastrum

Danthonidium

Danthoniopsis

Danthosieglingia

Dasypyrum

Davidsea

Decaryella

Decaryochloa

Dendrocalamus

Deschampsia

Desmazeria

Desmostachya

Deyeuxia

Diandrolyra

Diarrhena

Dichaetaria

Dichanthelium

Dichanthium

Dichelachne

Didymogonyx

Diectomis

Digitaria

Dignathia

Diheteropogon

Dilophotriche

Dimeria

Dinebra

Dinochloa

Diplachne

Disakisperma

Dissanthelium

Echinolaena

Echinopogon

Ectrosia

Ehrharta

Ekmanochloa

Eleusine

Elionurus

Ellisochloa

Elyhordeum

Elyleymus

Elymandra

Elymordeum

Elymostachys

Elymotrigia

Elymus

Elysitanion

Elytrigia

Elytrophorus

Elytrostachys

Enneapogon

Enteropogon

Entolasia

Entoplocamia

Eragrostiella

Eragrostis

Eremitis

Eremocaulon

Eremochloa

Eremopoa

Eremopyrum

Eriachne

Erianthus

Eriochloa

Eriochrysis

Eriocoma

Erioneuron

Euchlaena

Euclasta

Eulalia

Eulaliopsis

Eustachys

Exotheca

Fargesia

Farrago

Ferrocalamus

Festuca

Festucopsis

Festulolium

Festulpia

Filgueirasia

Fimbribambusa

Fingerhuthia

Froesiochloa

Gaoligongshania

Garnotia

Gastridium

Gaudinia

Gaudinopsis

Gelidocalamus

Geochloa

Germainia

Gerritea

× Gigantocalamus

Gigantochloa

Gilgiochloa

Glaziophyton

Glyceria

Glyphochloa

Gossweilerochloa

Gouinia

Graphephorum

Greslania

Guadua

Guaduella

Gymnopogon

Germainia

Gerritea

× Gigantocalamus

Gigantochloa

Gilgiochloa

Glaziophyton

Glyceria

Glyphochloa

Gossweilerochloa

Gouinia

Graphephorum

Greslania

Guadua

Guaduella

Gymnopogon

Gynerium

Habrochloa

Hackelochloa

Hainardia

Hainardiopholis

Hakonechloa

Halopyrum

Harpachne

Harpochloa

Haynaldoticum

Helictochloa

Helictotrichon

Hemarthria

Hemisorghum

Henrardia

Heterachne

Heteranthelium

Heteranthoecia

Heteropholis

Heteropogon

Hickelia

Hierochloe

Hilaria

Himalayacalamus

Hitchcockella

Holcolemma

Holcus

Holttumochloa

Homolepis

Homopholis

Homozeugos

Hookerochloa

Hopia

Hordelymus

Hordeum

Hsuehochloa

Hubbardia

Hubbardochloa

Humbertochloa

Hyalopoa

Hydrothauma

Hygrochloa

Hygroryza

Hylebates

Hymenachne

Hyparrhenia

Hyperthelia

Hypseochloa

Hystrix

Ichnanthus

Imperata

Indocalamus

Indopoa

Indosasa

Isachne

Ischaemum

Iseilema

Ixophorus

Jansenella

Jouvea

Kalinia

Kampochloa

Kaokochloa

Kellochloa

Kengyilia

Keratochlaena

Kerriochloa

Kinabaluchloa

Koeleria

Koordersiochloa

Kuruna

Lachnagrostis

Lagurus

Lamarckia

Lamprothyrsus

Lasiacis

Lasiurus

Lecomtella

Leersia

Leptagrostis

Leptaspis

Leptocarydion

Leptochloa

Leptothrium

Lepturidium

Lepturopetium

Lepturus

Leucopoa

Leydeum

Leymostachys

Leymotrigia

Leymus

Limnas

Limnodea

Limnopoa

Lindbergella

Lintonia

Lithachne

Littledalea

Loliolum

Lolium

Lophacme

Lophatherum

Lophopogon

Loudetia

Loudetiopsis

Louisiella

Loxodera

Luziola

Lycochloa

Lycurus

Lygeum

Maclurochloa

Maclurolyra

Macrochloa

Maltebrunia

Manisuris

Mayariochloa

Megalachne

Megaloprotachne

Megastachya

Megathyrsus

Melanocenchris

Melica

Melinis

Melocalamus

Melocanna

Merostachys

Merxmuellera

Mesosetum

Metcalfia

Mibora

Micrachne

Micraira

Microcalamus

Microchloa

Microlaena

Micropyrum

Microstegium

Milium

Miscanthidium

Miscanthus

Mnesithea

Mniochloa

Molineriella

Molinia

Moliniopsis

Monachather

Monelytrum

Monocymbium

Monodia

Moorochloa

Morronea

Mosdenia

Moulinsia

Muhlenbergia

Mullerochloa

Munroa

Munrochloa

Myriocladus

Myriostachya

Nanooravia

Narduroides

Nardus

Nassella

Nastus

Neesiochloa

Nematopoa

Neobouteloua

Neohouzeaua

Neololeba

Neomicrocalamus

Neosinocalamus

Neostapfia

Neostapfiella

Nephelochloa

Neurachne

Neuropoa

Neyraudia

Nianhochloa

Nicoraepoa

Notochloe

Ocellochloa

Ochlandra

Ochthochloa

Odyssea

Oedochloa

Oldeania

Oligostachyum

Olmeca

Olyra

Oncorachis

Ophiuros

Opizia

Oplismenopsis

Oplismenus

Orcuttia

Oreobambos

Oreochloa

Oreopoa

Orinus

Oropetium

Ortachne

Orthacanthus

Orthoclada

Orthoraphium

Oryticum

Oryza

Oryzidium

Oryzopsis

Osvaldoa

Otachyrium

Otatea

Ottochloa

Oxychloris

Oxyrhachis

Oxytenanthera

Panicum

Pappagrostis

Pappophorum

Pappostipa

Parabambusa

Paracolpodium

Paractaenum

Parafestuca

Parahyparrhenia

Paraneurachne

Parapholis

Paratheria

Pariana

Parianella

Parodiolyra

Parodiophyllochloa

Parvotrisetum

Paspalidium

Paspalum

Patis

Patzkea

Pennisetum

Pentameris

Pentapogon

Pentarrhaphis

Pentaschistis

Pereilema

Periballia

Peridictyon

Perotis

Perrierbambus

Peyritschia

Phacelurus

Phaenanthoecium

Phaenosperma

Phalaris

Pharus

Pheidochloa

Phippsia

Phleum

Pholiurus

Phragmites

Phuphanochloa

Phyllorachis

Phyllosasa

Phyllostachys

Pinga

Piptatheropsis

Piptatherum

Piptochaetium

Piptophyllum

Piresia

Piresiella

Plagiantha

Plagiosetum

Pleioblastus

Pleuropogon

Plinthanthesis

Poa

Poagrostis

Podophorus

Poecilostachys

Pogonachne

Pogonarthria

Pogonatherum

Pogonochloa

Pogononeura

Pohlidium

Polevansia

Polypogon

Polypogonagrostis

Polytoca

Polytrias

Pommereulla

Potamophila

Pratochloa

Pringleochloa

Prionanthium

Prosphytochloa

Psammagrostis

Psammochloa

Psathyrostachys

Pseudanthistiria

Pseudechinolaena

Pseudobambusa

Pseudobromus

Pseudochaetochloa

Pseudodanthonia

Pseudodichanthium

Pseudopentameris

Pseudophleum

Pseudopogonatherum

Pseudoraphis

Pseudoroegneria

Pseudosasa

Pseudosclerochloa

Pseudosorghum

Pseudostachyum

Pseudoxytenanthera

Pseudozoysia

Psilathera

Psilolemma

Psilurus

Ptilagrostis

Puccinellia

Pucciphippsia

Puelia

Racemobambos

Raddia

Raddiella

Ratzeburgia

Rehia

Reimarochloa

Reitzia

Relchela

Renvoizea

Reynaudia

Rheochloa

Rhipidocladum

Rhizocephalus

Rhynchoryza

Rhytachne

Richardsiella

Roegneria

Rostraria

Rottboellia

Rugoloa

Ruhooglandia

Rupichloa

Rytidosperma

Saccharum

Sacciolepis

Sarocalamus

Sartidia

Sasa

Sasaella

Sasamorpha

Saugetia

Saxipoa

Schedonorus

Schenckochloa

Schismus

Schizachne

Schizachyrium

Schizostachyum

Schmidtia

Schoenefeldia

Sclerochloa

Sclerodactylon

Scleropogon

Scolochloa

Scribneria

Scrotochloa

Scutachne

Secale

Sehima

Semiarundinaria

Sesleria

Sesleriella

Setaria

Setariopsis

Shibataea

Silentvalleya

Simplicia

Sinoarundinaria

Sinobambusa

Sinochasea

Sirochloa

Snowdenia

Soejatmia

Sohnsia

Sokinochloa

Sorghastrum

Sorghum

Spartina

Spartochloa

Spathia

Sphaerobambos

Sphaerocaryum

Spheneria

Sphenopholis

Sphenopus

Spinifex

Spodiopogon

Sporobolus

Stapfochloa

Stapletonia

Steinchisma

Steirachne

Stenostachys

Stenotaphrum

Stephanachne

Stephostachys

Stereochlaena

Steyermarkochloa

Stiburus

Stipa

Stipagrostis

Stipellula

Stipidium

Stiporyzopsis

Streblochaete

Streptochaeta

Streptogyna

Streptolophus

Streptostachys

Styppeiochloa

Sucrea

Suddia

Swallenia

Sylvipoa

Symplectrodia

Taeniatherum

Taeniorhachis

Tarigidia

Tatianyx

Temburongia

Temochloa

Tenaxia

Tetrachaete

Tetrachne

Tetrapogon

Tetrarrhena

Thamnocalamus

Thaumastochloa

Thedachloa

Thelepogon

Themeda

Thinopyrum

Thrasya

Thuarea

Thyridachne

Thyridolepis

Thyrsostachys

Thysanolaena

Tibisia

Timouria

Torreyochloa

Trachypogon

Trachys

Tragus

Tribolium

Trichanthecium

Trichloris

Tricholaena

Tricholemma

Trichoneura

Trichopteryx

Tridens

Tridentopsis

Trigonochloa

Trilobachne

Triniochloa

Triodia

Tripidium

Triplachne

Triplasiella

Triplasis

Triplopogon

Tripogon

Tripogonella

Tripsacum

Triraphis

Triscenia

Trisetaria

Trisetokoeleria

Trisetopsis

Trisetopsotrichon

Trisetum

Tristachya

Triticale

Triticosecale

Triticum

Trititrigia

Tuctoria

Tzveleviochloa

Uniola

Uranthoecium

Urelytrum

Urochloa

Urochondra

Vahlodea

Valiha

Vaseyochloa

Veldkampia

Ventenata

Vietnamocalamus

Vietnamochloa

Vietnamosasa

Viguierella

Vossia

Vulpia

Vulpiella

Walwhalleya

Wangenheimia

Weingaertneria

Whiteochloa

Widjajachloa

Willkommia

Xerochloa

Yakirra

Yersinochloa

Yushania

Yvesia

Zaqiqah

Zea

Zenkeria

Zeugites

Zingeria

Zizania

Zizaniopsis

Zonotriche

Zotovia

Zoysia

Zuloagaea

Zygochloa