Gramineae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Gramineae >

Read about Gramineae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Gramineae (from the Latin signifying grass). Grass Family. Fig. 8. Herbs, or sometimes almost tree-like: stems hollow or solid: leaves usually linear, in 2 ranks; composed of a sheath which is usually open down the front, a sessile blade, and a ligule at the juncture of blade and sheath: flowers bisexual or unisexual, naked, or with the perianth reduced to 1-3 tiny scales, borne in specialized spikelets composed of 3 or more 2-ranked scales, the first 2 empty (called empty glumes), the others termed flowering glumes or lemmas, and 1 scale on each secondary flower-bearing axis, called a palet or palea; stamens 2-3, exserted for wind-pollination; carpel 1; ovary 1, 1-celled, l-ovuled; stigmas feathery, usually 2: fruit a caryopsis; seed with endosperm, and embryo with an absorbing organ. Gramineae is a family of 300-400 genera and perhaps 5,000 species distributed all over the earth. The largest genera are Panicum with 300-400 species, Paspalum with 160 species, and Poa with 100 species. The Gramineae and Cyperaceae form a very distinct group. The usually hollow stem, the open sheaths, the ligule, the 2-ranked leaves, and the peculiar spikelet-structure are the best characters to separate Gramineae from Cyperaceae. The Indian corn is one of the most modified of grasses. It is monoecious. The staminate spikelets are arranged on finger-like branches of the tassel at the summit of the plant; the pistillate spikelets are borne on the cob, which is supposed to be composed of similar finger-like portions grown together. Each spikelet is 2-flowered, but only 1 flower bears an ovary. The kernel is this ovary, and the chaff on the cob represent the glumes and palets. The grasses are divided into 13 tribes. The grasses are among the most useful of plants. The following, among others, are, or have been, used as medicine: Rhizome of Agropyron repena (quick- or quack-grass) is emollient, and aperient (several other grasses have the same properties). Root of Arundo Donax (reed) is diuretic and sudorific. Phragmites communis was formerly considered depurative and anti-syphilitic. Calamagrostis was used by the French peasants as a diuretic. Perotis latifolia is used in India for the same purpose, as are also the seeds of Coix Lacryma-Jobi in China. The roots of Manisuria granularis are used in India for intestinal troubles. The aromatic, fragrant roots of various Andropogons (or Cymbopogons) are used for medicine and for perfume in India and elsewhere, e. g., A. Nardus (false spikenard, citronella), A. citratus (lemon-grass). A. lanier and A. Schoenanthus (sweet rush, ginger-grass, geranium-grass) are used in Africa and Arabia as a stimulant, antispasmodic and diaphoretic, and for perfume. The following are used for food: Seeds of wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, Indian corn and millet; also seeds of Andropogon arundinaceus var. vulgare (sorghum), and var. Durra (durra). Pennisetum americanum (pearl millet) is an important food of the negro races, and Poi abyssinica and Eleusine are important in East Africa. Sugar is obtained from the stems of several species, most important of which are Saccharum officinaruni (sugar-cane), and Andropogon arundinaceus var. saccharatus or A. Sorghum (sugar sorghum). Many grasses are used as fodder for cattle, as, for instance, our pasture and hay grasses: Poa pratensis (June grass, Kentucky blue grass), Phleum pratense (timothy), Festuca ovina, etc. (fescue), Agrostis alba (red-top), Dactylis glomerata (orchard-grass), Cynodon Dactylon (Bermuda-grass). Some grasses are poisonous to stock, e.g., Lolium temulentum (darnel), and the Peruvian Festuca quadridentata. Straw from cereals is used for matting, upholstery, bedding, hats and for making paper. The bamboos yield very important building material in the East. Like the palms, the bamboos are used for almost every conceivable purpose, and are among the most useful of plants. Several grasses, other than those above mentioned, contain a fragrant principle, e. g., roots of Vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver or kus-kus of India) used to perfume rooms, and to keep insects out of clothing. Hierochloe odorata (vanilla- or holy-grass) is used in Europe in religious ceremonies, and by the American Indians for making baskets. Anthoxanthum odoratum is the European sweet-grass, now introduced into America. The most important ornamental species are Phalaris arundinacea, Stipa pennata, Cortaderia argentea, Lagurus ovatus, Hordeum jubatum, Miscanthus sinensis, Briza, Arundo, Phragmites, Erianthus, Pennisetum, Thysanolaena, and Bamboos. In America 70-80 genera are cultivated, or are important as natural fodder plants or weeds. Among these are: Agropyron (Quack-Grass, Couch-G., Quick-G.); Agrostis (Bent-G., Red-Top, Cloud-G.,Ticklc-G., Fly-away-G.); Aira (Hair-G.); Andropogon (Silver-beard-G., Johnson-G., Lemon-G.); Anthoxanthum (Sweet Vernal-G.); Ammophila (Beach-G., Marram-G.); Arundinaria (Large Cane, Switch Cane, Scotch Cane); Arundo (Giant Reed); Avena (Oats); Bamboo; Briza (Quaking-G.); Bromus (Brome-G., Rescue-G.); Calamagrostis (Reed Bent-G., Blue-joint-G., Pony-G.); Calamovilfa (Purple Bent-G.); Cenchrus (Sand-bur, Bur-G.); Chloris (Finger-G.); Cinna; Coix (Job's Tears, Tear-G., Corn Beads); Cortaderia (Pampas-G.); Cynodon (Bermuda-G.); Cynosurus (Crested Dog's-tail, Silky-awned Dog's-tail); Dactylis (Cock's-foot, Orchard-G.); Dactyloctenium (Crowfoot-G.); Desmazeria (Spike-G.): Deschampsia (Hair-G.. Hassock-G.); Digitaria (Crab-G., Finger-G.); Distichlis (Salt-G., Marsh Spike-G.); Echinochloa (Barnyard-G.); Eleusine (Crab- G., Yard-G., Dog's-tail, Wire-G., African Millet); Elymus (Lyme-G., Wild Rye, Terrel-G.); Eragrostis; Erianthus (Woolly Beard-G., Plume-G., Wool-G., Ravenna-G.); Euchlaena (Teosinte); Festuca (Fescue-G.); Glyceria or Panicularia (Reed Meadow-G., Manna-G.); Cortaderia; Hierochloe (Vanilla-G., Holy-G., Seneca-G., Sweet-scented-G.); Holcus (Meadow Soft-G.); Hordeum (Squirrel-tail-G., Wild Barley, Barley); Hystrix or Asprella(Bottle-G.); Lolium (Darnel, Rye-G.); Milium (Wild Millet-G.); Miscanthus (Eulalia, Himalaya Fairy-G.); Oplismenus; Oryza (Rice); Oryzopsis (Mountain Rice); Panicum (Panic-G., Old-Witch-G., Millet, Broom Corn Millet); Pennisetum (Pearl Millet); Phalaris (Canary-G., Gardener's Garters); Phleum (Timothy-G., Herd's-G.); Phragmites (Common Reed); Phyllostachys (Bamboo, in part); Poa (Blue-G., Kentucky Blue-G., Meadow-G.); Saccharum (Sugar-cane); Secale (Rye); Setaria (Millet, Hungarian-G., Foxtail-G., Pigeon-G.); Spartina (Cord-G.); Sphenopholis; Stenotaphrum (St. Augustine-G.); Stipa (Feathered-G., Esparto-G., Porcupine-G.); Tripsacum (Gama-G., Sesame-G.); Triticum (Wheat, Spelt). CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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