Poaceae

Poaceae

Poaceae (pronounced /poʊˈeɪ.siː/), also known as grasses, is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants known as grasses. It includes some 780 genera and about 12,000 species.

Etymology

The name Poaceae was first used by the French botanist Nicolas Charles Seringe in 1810. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek word poa, which means grass or pasture.

Description

Members of the Poaceae family are typically herbaceous plants, but some are woody and can grow in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and deserts. They have hollow stems called culms, and leaves that are usually alternate, distichous (in two vertical ranks), and parallel-veined.

Classification

The Poaceae family is divided into about 12 subfamilies, which are further divided into numerous tribes and then into genera. Some of the most well-known and economically important genera include Triticum (wheat), Zea (corn), Oryza (rice), and Saccharum (sugar cane).

Uses

Grasses in the Poaceae family are of great economic importance, providing the bulk of the world's staple foods and contributing to animal feed, biofuel production, and soil conservation. They are also used for lawns, sports fields, and golf courses.

Related Terms

• Monocotyledon: A type of flowering plant that has a single embryonic leaf or cotyledon.
• Culm: The hollow stem of a grass or sedge.
• Distichous: Arranged in two vertical ranks.
• Triticum: The genus of plants commonly known as wheat.
• Zea: The genus of plants commonly known as corn or maize.
• Oryza: The genus of plants commonly known as rice.
• Saccharum: The genus of plants commonly known as sugarcane.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Poaceae
• Wikipedia's article - Poaceae

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