Browse by Family: Poaceae

Plant Group: Monocotyledon

Family Description:
Grasses grow in tufts or tussocks, each plant a cluster of leafy shoots or tillers. Each leaf has a sheath and blade separated by a membranous or hairy ligule. Inflorescences may be racemes, spikes or panicles. Spikelets consist of a number of florets above two empty bracts, glumes. Each floret has a lemma and palea.

Genera	Species	Images
*Aira*	*praecox*
*Aira*	*caryophyllea*
*Austrostipa* Known as spear grass because mature seeds can penetrate the skin. Leaves are overlapping and hairy, ligule membranous. The inflorescence is a panicle of single stalked one-flowered spikelets which have a hard cylindrical lemma. The terminal awn twists and bends on drying and may be very long.	*mollis*
*Austrostipa* Known as spear grass because mature seeds can penetrate the skin. Leaves are overlapping and hairy, ligule membranous. The inflorescence is a panicle of single stalked one-flowered spikelets which have a hard cylindrical lemma. The terminal awn twists and bends on drying and may be very long.	*semibarbata*
*Austrostipa* Known as spear grass because mature seeds can penetrate the skin. Leaves are overlapping and hairy, ligule membranous. The inflorescence is a panicle of single stalked one-flowered spikelets which have a hard cylindrical lemma. The terminal awn twists and bends on drying and may be very long.	*stipoides*
*Austrostipa* Known as spear grass because mature seeds can penetrate the skin. Leaves are overlapping and hairy, ligule membranous. The inflorescence is a panicle of single stalked one-flowered spikelets which have a hard cylindrical lemma. The terminal awn twists and bends on drying and may be very long.	*flavescens*
*Briza*	*minor*
*Bromus*	*diandrus*
*Catapodium*	*rigidum*
*Cynodon*	*dactylon*
*Dactylis*	*glomerata*
*Deyeuxia* Erect, sparsely-tufted perennials to 1.5m, mostly basal leaves, flat and tapering to a fine point. The inflorescence is an open or dense terminal panicle with numerous and often densely overlapping one-flowered spikelets. An awn rises from the back of the lemma which is papery rather than transparent.	*quadriseta*
*Dichelachne*	*crinita*
*Distichlis*	*distichophylla*
*Echinopogon*	*ovatus*
*Ehrharta*	*calycina*
*Ehrharta*	*erecta*	Image: Freya Thomas
*Ehrharta*	*longiflora*	Image: Freya Thomas
*Elymus* None	*repens*
*Holcus*	*lanatus*
*Hordeum*	*leporinum*
*Lachnagrostis*	*filiformis*
*Lachnagrostis*	*billardierei*
*Lagurus*	*ovatus*
*Lolium*	*perenne*	Image: Freya Thomas
*Parapholis*	*strigosa*
*Pentapogon*	*quadrifidus*
*Phragmites*	*australis*
*Poa* Perennial grasses, leaf blades flat or inrolled, ligules membranous. Inflorescences are panicles. Spikelets are laterally compressed, glumes are 1-3 nerved, lemma are mostly 5 nerved, keeled and unawned.	*poiformis*
*Poa* Perennial grasses, leaf blades flat or inrolled, ligules membranous. Inflorescences are panicles. Spikelets are laterally compressed, glumes are 1-3 nerved, lemma are mostly 5 nerved, keeled and unawned.	*sieberiana subsp. var. sieberiana*
*Rytidosperma*	*caespitosum*
*Rytidosperma*	*setaceum*
*Spinifex*	*sericeus*
*Sporobolus*	*africanus*
*Sporobolus*	*virginicus*
*Tetrarrhena*	*distichophylla*
*Tetrarrhena*	*juncea*
*Themeda*	*triandra*	Image: Mike Bayly
*Thinopyrum*	*junceiforme*
*Vulpia*	*bromoides*

Classification:

Genus	Species
Aira	Aira praecox
Aira	Aira caryophyllea
Austrostipa	Austrostipa mollis
Austrostipa	Austrostipa semibarbata
Austrostipa	Austrostipa stipoides
Austrostipa	Austrostipa flavescens
Briza	Briza minor
Bromus	Bromus diandrus
Catapodium	Catapodium rigidum
Cynodon	Cynodon dactylon
Dactylis	Dactylis glomerata
Deyeuxia	Deyeuxia quadriseta
Dichelachne	Dichelachne crinita
Distichlis	Distichlis distichophylla
Echinopogon	Echinopogon ovatus
Ehrharta	Ehrharta calycina
Ehrharta	Ehrharta erecta
Ehrharta	Ehrharta longiflora
Elymus	Elymus repens
Holcus	Holcus lanatus
Hordeum	Hordeum leporinum
Lachnagrostis	Lachnagrostis filiformis
Lachnagrostis	Lachnagrostis billardierei
Lagurus	Lagurus ovatus
Lolium	Lolium perenne
Parapholis	Parapholis strigosa
Pentapogon	Pentapogon quadrifidus
Phragmites	Phragmites australis
Poa	Poa poiformis
Poa	Poa sieberiana subsp. var. sieberiana
Rytidosperma	Rytidosperma caespitosum
Rytidosperma	Rytidosperma setaceum
Spinifex	Spinifex sericeus
Sporobolus	Sporobolus africanus
Sporobolus	Sporobolus virginicus
Tetrarrhena	Tetrarrhena distichophylla
Tetrarrhena	Tetrarrhena juncea
Themeda	Themeda triandra
Thinopyrum	Thinopyrum junceiforme
Vulpia	Vulpia bromoides