Welcome to Catnapin's
Waves of Grain Index
Grass (Bamboo, Reed) - & - Cattail, Horsetail, Sedge, Rush,
The plants listed in these galleries belong to the grass family or those that superficially resemble grass. Long parallel veined leaves characterize them. Some of these plants are very invasive and have become established worldwide. Most of the plants come from 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.
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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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Poaceae - the Grass family 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. 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 4 tribe Aveneae - Other 1 tribe Bromeae - Brome tribe Poeae - Bluegrass & Ryegrass tribe Triticeae - Barley tribe Triticeae - Wheat tribe Triticeae - Wildrye |
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Looks Like Grass, But Its Not Cyperaceae - the Sedge family: Sedges are common in wetlands but can also be found in semi-desert and polar regions. They have been used to make boats, paper (papyrus), baskets, and hats. Several groups produce edible tubers (Chinese water-chestnut). Some are considered weeds because they are so invasive. Sedges provide habitats and food for many wild animals. Stems are triangular, "Sedges have edges."
Equisetaceae - the Horsetail family: Like ferns, horsetails are one of the early terrestrial plants that do not have flowers or seeds. Their cones produce microscopic spores. During the Paleozoic Era, 360-250 million years ago, these plants dominated the landscape and grew as large as trees. There is only one remaining genus with only a dozen species, worldwide except Australia.
Juncaceae - the Rush family: The flowers of rushes are very different than grass and sedge. They have 3 sepals and 3 tepals (petal). They do not have spikelets. Stems are flat or round. Besides materials for mats and baskets, rushes have very little economic value. They do provide wildlife habitats in wetlands.
Typhaceae - the Cattail family: This family has only one genus, Typha, which are worldwide and called Bulrush by the British. They have rhizomes and are very invasive in shallow water areas. The male and female flowers are separate. Several parts of the roots, young shoots and inflorescence are edible. The "fluff" is used by people as stuffing and many birds for nests. Pink number is unidentified species |
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family Genus Carex - Sedge Genus Cyperus - Flatsedge 5 Genus Eleocharis - Spikerush Genus Fuirena - Umbrella Sedge |
Equisetaceae - Horsetail family Genus Equisetum - Horsetail ********************************** Juncaceae - Rush family Genus Juncus - Rush ********************************** Typhaceae - Cattail family Genus Typha - Cattails |
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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 |
Taken from Introduction to Sedges (Carex:Cyperaceae), by Andrew Hipp
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Revised: June 29, 2009
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