Welcome to Catnapin's
Waves of Grain Index
Poaceae - the Grass Family
The plants listed in these galleries belong to the grass family. Long parallel veined leaves characterize them. Some of these plants are very invasive and have become established worldwide. Most of the plants shown are native to the semiarid county where I live.
Amateur botanists consider many of these families difficult in the identification of species. They are right. First, the appearance of many grasses are variable leading to discrepancies in taxonomy. Second, differentiation of some species requires a microscope. Third, active research is going on. Depending on which leading botanist a group follows, determines the names of subfamilies, tribes, and sometimes genus and species. My old textbook, the Texas A&M grass site, and National sites frequently do not match. So, if you don't agree with the classification or identification, please email me.
Despite the diversity, all grasses belong to one family, so they are divided into subfamilies and tribes for identification. Poaceae has the most economic value of all the plants; corn, wheat, rye, barley, etc. Most people who study grasses apply that knowledge toward crops. All grasses have 3 part flowers and no woody growth (bamboo is not wood). Pollen is a major cause of allergies.
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Find it |
Scientific Name Scientific Name by Family Common Name Texas grass list Texas "not grass" list Definitions and Information |
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Grass subfamilies Pink number = unidentified species |
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subfamily Aristidoideae tribe Aristideae - Threeawn ********************************** subfamily Arundinoideae tribe Arundineae - Reed ********************************** subfamily Bambusoideae tribe Bambuseae - Bamboo & Cane ********************************** subfamily Chloridoideae tribe Cynodonteae - Grama Grass tribe Cynodonteae - Windmillgrass 6 tribe Cynodonteae - Other tribe Eragrostideae - Dropseed (open) 8 tribe Eragrostideae - Dropseed (spike) tribe Eragrostideae - Lovegrass tribe Eragrostideae - Sprangletop tribe Eragrostideae - Tridens tribe Eragrostideae - Other ********************************** subfamily Danthonioideae tribe Danthonieae - Pampasgrass |
subfamily Panicoideae tribe Andropogoneae - Bluestem (Beardgrass) 2 tribe Andropogoneae - Bluestem (Old World) tribe Andropogoneae - Corn tribe Andropogoneae - Sorghum 3 tribe Paniceae - Barnyardgrass tribe Paniceae - Bristlegrass (bottlebrush) tribe Paniceae - Bristlegrass (narrow) tribe Paniceae - Crabgrass tribe Paniceae - Cupgrass tribe Paniceae - Dallisgrass tribe Paniceae - Panicgrass tribe Paniceae - Rosettegrass tribe Paniceae - Sandbur tribe Paniceae - Witchgrass ********************************** subfamily Pooideae tribe Aveneae - Oats 4tribe Aveneae - Other 1tribe Bromeae - Brome tribe Poeae - Bluegrass & Ryegrass tribe Triticeae - Barley tribe Triticeae - Wheat tribe Triticeae - Wildrye |
Basic Taxonomy Key
Taken from Introduction to Sedges (Carex:Cyperaceae), by Andrew Hipp
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Poaceae (Grasses) |
Cyperaceae (Sedges) |
Junacaceae (Rushes) |
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Leaves |
2 ranked (in 2 rows); sometimes appearing leafless |
3 ranked (in 3 rows); flat, w-shaped in cross-section, or apparently lacking |
Generally inrolled or round in cross-section; hollow or with corss-partitions (you can feel these with your fingernal) |
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Sheaths |
Margins overlapping or fused |
Margins fused |
Margins overlapping |
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Ligules |
A flap of tissue at the junction of the sheath and blade, not fused to the blade |
A flap of tissue at the junction of the sheath and blade, partly fused to the blade |
none |
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Floral Scales |
2 surrounding each flower (palea and lemma) |
1 below each flower |
No scales beneath flowers. 6-merous perianth (looks a little like a lily flower) |
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Flowers |
Bisexual |
Bisexual or unisexual |
Usually bisexuals, Three(six)-merous |
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Fruits |
Grain |
Achene (a hard nutlet) |
capsule filled with 3 to many seeds |
