Grass, Sedge, Rush, or Something Else?

Character Poaceae Cyperaceae Juncaceae

Leaves 2-ranked, flat, non-channelled 3-ranked, flat, channelled2 to many ranked, flat or terete, sometimes channelled

Liguleusually present (sometimes obscure) absent absent

Stem cross-section terete, some compressed triangular to rounded edges terete

Internodes hollow or solid solid solid, w/ septae

Inflorescencespikelets in panicles, racemes, or spikes

spikelet in racemes, panicles, or spikes

panicles, heads, corymbs, solitary

Flowers/floretsfloret of lemma, palea; usually tiny scales

3-merous chaffy scales, or bristles

3-merous w/ 6 scale-like perianth parts (drab lilies)

Stigma 2 2-3 3

Anthers attached above base; flexible attached at base, inflex. attached at base

Fruits

caryopsis grain (thin pericarp fused to seed coat; loose in Sporobolus)

achene or nutlet, often lenticular or trigonous, style sometimes persistent loculicidal capsule

Seeds 1-seeded 1-seeded multiple seeded

Habitat mostly terrestial terrestrial and emergent terrestrial and emergent

Total Species in IL 327 249 29Native Species 209 238 28Non-native Species 118 11 1# of Genera 99 19 2

Cyperaceae

Juncaceae

Poaceae

Juncus

Luzula

Schoenoplectus Rhynchospora

Carex

Eriophorum Cyperus

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE GRASS FAMILY?The grass family is the 4th largest of all plant families. Worldwide, about 11,000 species from 700 genera comprise Poaceae.

-The FNA recognizes 10 subfamilies, 25 tribes, 236 genera, and 1,373 wild and cultivated species. -Native to the region are all 10 subfamilies, 22 tribes, 136 genera, and 892 species.

No plant family comes close to Poaceae in its importance to world agriculture. Wheat (Triticum aestivum), rice (Oryza sativa), corn (Zea mays), oat (Avena sativa), rye (Secale cereale), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and the many species of sorghum and millet provide the grains which are the staff of life for nearly all of the peoples on earth.

Many species of range and pasture grasses, in addition to the grains listed above, are usedfor livestock forage and feed.

Turf and ornamental grasses are used and appreciated for their durability andbeauty throughout the world (the namesake for the grass family, Poa, is the genus from which current cultivated varieties of bluegrass have been developed). Finally, grasses such as bamboo lend their service for construction and plumbing in many countries.

Grasslands cover 35-40% of terrestrial portions of the globe excluding Antarctica and are important in most habitat types.

Some Ligule Types

Characters most important in identification include features of the spikelet (size, plane of compression, features of glumes and lemmas, number of florets, and presence of awns).

Grass spikelet Grass floret

lemma

Flower - Antheridium + Gynoecium + LodiculesLodicules - Paired rudimentary perianth parts at base of ovaryFloret - Flower + palea and lemmaSpikelet - Floret(s) + 2 glumesRachilla - Main axis (rachis) of spikelet bearing floretsPalea - Bract subtending flower, attached to pedicelLemma - Bract subtending flower, attached to rachilla

Grass Flower Terminology/Definitions

POACEAE Agrostis perennans Autumn Bent GrassPOACEAE Andropogon gerardii Big BluestemPOACEAE Arundinaria gigantea Giant CanePOACEAE Brachyelytrum erectum LONG-AWNED WOOD GRASSPOACEAE Bromus pubescens WOODLAND BROMEPOACEAE Chasmanthium latifolium Sea OatsPOACEAE Cinna arundinacea COMMON WOOD REEDPOACEAE Elymus canadensis Canada Wild RyePOACEAE Elymus hystrix BOTTLEBRUSH GRASSPOACEAE Elymus villosus SILKY WILD RYEPOACEAE Elymus virginicus Virginia Wild RyePOACEAE Leersia virginica White GrassPOACEAE Panicum clandestinum Deer-tongue GrassPOACEAE Panicum virgatum Prairie Switch GrassPOACEAE Schizachyrium scoparium Little BluestemPOACEAE Sorghastrum nutans Indian GrassPOACEAE Spartina pectinata Prairie Cord GrassPOACEAE Sporobolus asper Rough DropseedPOACEAE Sporobolus heterolepis Northern Drop SeedPOACEAE Tridens flavus Common PurpletopPOACEAE Tripsacum dactyloides Gama Grass

22 species (about 10%), 16 genera (about 16%)

The most recent classification of the grass family recognizes twelve subfamilies:

Anomochlooideae, a small lineage of broad-leaved grasses that includes two genera (Anomochloa, Streptochaeta)Pharoideae, a small lineage of grasses that includes three genera, including Pharus and LeptaspisPuelioideae, a small lineage that includes the African genus Puelia.

Pooideae, including wheat, barley, oats, brome-grass (Bromus), reed-grasses (Calamagrostis), Poa w/ about 500 species, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres.Bambusoideae, including bambooEhrhartoideae, including rice, wild rice

Arundinoideae, including giant reed, common reedCentothecoideae, a small subfamily of 11 genera that is sometimes included in PanicoideaeChloridoideae, including the lovegrasses (Eragrostis, ca. 350 species, including teff), dropseeds (Sporobolus, some 160 species), finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.), and the muhly grasses (Muhlenbergia, ca. 175 species)Panicoideae, including panic grass, maize, sorghum, sugar cane, most millets, fonio, and

bluestem grassesAristidoideae, including Aristida Danthonioideae, including pampas grass

Tribe Triticeae: Agropyron, Elymus, Eremopyrum, Hordeum, Secale, Taeniatherum, and Triticum.Tribe Aveneae: Agrostis, Alopecurus, Avena, Beckmannia, Calamogrostis, Deschampsia, Helictotrichon, Hierochloe, Holcus, Koeleria, Phalaris, Phleum, Polypogon, Trisetum, and Ventenata.Tribe Stipeae: Stipa and Oryzopsis.Tribe Meliceae: Catabrosa, Glyceria, and Melica.Tribe Poeae: Bromus, Cynosurus, Dactylis, Festuca, Lolium, Poa, Puccinellia, Schedonorus, and Vulpia.Tribe Andropogoneae: Andropogon, Sorghum, and Zea.Tribe Paniceae: Cenchrus, Dichanthelium, Digitaria, Echinochloa, Panicum, Paspalum, Pennisetum, and Setaria.Tribe Chlorideae: Bouteloua, Buchloe, Cynodon, Eleusine, Schedonnardus, and Spartina.Tribe Aeluropodeae: Distichlis.Tribe Eragrosteae: Calamovilfa, Eragrostis, Muhlenbergia, Monroa, and Sporobolus.Tribe Aristideae: Aristida.Tribe Arundineae: Arundo, Cortaderia, and Phragmites.Tribe Danthonieae: Danthonia.Tribe Oryzeae: Leersia, Oryza, and Zizania.Tribe Bambuseae: Arundinaria.

TRIBE SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAMEAGROSTIDEAE Agrostis perennans Autumn Bent GrassANDROPOGONEAE Andropogon gerardii Big BluestemAGROSTIDEAE Brachyelytrum erectum Long-awned Wood GrassAGROSTIDEAE Cinna arundinacea Common Wood ReedAGROSTIDEAE Muhlenbergii sobolifera Rock Satin GrassAGROSTIDEAE Sporobolus asper Rough DropseedAGROSTIDEAE Sporobolus heterolepis Northern Drop SeedANDROPOGONEAE Schizachyrium scoparium Little BluestemANDROPOGONEAE Sorghastrum nutans Indian GrassBAMBUSEAE Arundinaria gigantea Giant CaneCHLORIDEAE Spartina pectinata Prairie Cord GrassFESTUCEAE Bromus pubescens Woodland BromeFESTUCEAE Chasmanthium latifolium Sea OatsFESTUCEAE Tridens flavus Common PurpletopHORDEAE Elymus canadensis Canada Wild RyeHORDEAE Elymus hystrix Bottlebrush GrassHORDEAE Elymus villosus Silky Wild RyeHORDEAE Elymus virginicus Virginia Wild RyeORYZEAE Leersia virginica White GrassPANICEAE Panicum clandestinum Deer-tongue GrassPANICEAE Panicum virgatum Prairie Switch GrassTRIPSACEAE Tripsacum dactyloides Gama Grass