Poaceae
(Grass Family)

Poaceae  Barnhart 1895   (Gramineae  Jussieu 1789)

The Poaceae is the grass family, an important and valuable group of plants with 770 genera and 9700 species. Grasses are important as cereal crops and provide pastureland for livestock. The family is widespread and covers much of the world's land surface. The success of the grasses reflects their tolerance of grazing by herbivores due to the basal position on each stem and leaf of the meristem or growing tissue. Regrowth can therefore continue following removal of leaf tips by herbivores and other agents.
 
Almost all grasses are non-succulent. However, the Southern African genus Dregeochloa has succulent leaves growing from a pachycaul rhizome and is of interest as a caudiciform plant.