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Grasses (Gramineae or Poaceae), Sedges (Cyperaceae) and Rushes (Juncaceae) are monocotyledon
plants that at first glance may seem to look alike but are mostly separated fairly easily. However, exceptions
do occur for many characteristics below so beware!!! All three families have leaves with parallel veins, one
seed leaf and the vascular bundles are scattered within the pith of the stem.
Grasses Plants annual or perennial, herbaceous to rarely woody, caespitose (forming dense tufts) or not, perennials usually
with rhizomes and sometimes stolons; Roots fibrous; Leaves basal and/or cauline, 2-ranked (vertical rows), alternate, mostly
flat (may curl or be folded), leaf sheaths usually open or split (but often overlapping), sometimes sheaths are partially to mostly
closed or fused, Ligules often present, auricles sometimes present; Stems (culms) are usually round (may be oval or
somewhat flattened), nodes solid and usually swollen, internodes hollow or solid; Inflorescence of small Florets (flowers)
within Spikelets (subtended by 2 empty bracts termed Glumes) forming Spikes, Racemes, or Panicles or some combination
thereof; Florets (flowers) usually enclosed in 2 bracts (Lemma and Palea), petals and sepals absent, with usually 3 stamens,
1 pistil; Fruit usually a Caryopse (Grain), seed fused to pericarp.
Sedges Plants annual or mostly perennial, herbaceous, caespitose (forming dense tufts) or not, perennials usually with
rhizomes and sometimes with stolons; Roots fibrous; Leaves basal and/or cauline, alternate, mostly 3-ranked (vertical rows)
but not always, blades sometimes flat or V- or M-shaped, rarely round or reduced, midvein usually large, leaf sheaths usually
closed or fused, blades may be absent in basal leaves, ligules often present but may be reduced; Stems (culms) most often
triangular but some are round (terete), sometimes flattened, rarely 4- or 5-angled, nodes lacking, interior usually solid (Pith);
Inflorescence of one to many terminal and/or axillary (rarely basal) spikelets in panicles, umbels, racemes, spikes or headlike clusters (capitulum) which may be subtended by bracts; Flowers mostly bisexual (some unisexual), perianth absent
(naked) or reduced to bristles or scales, 1 to 3 stamens, 1 pistil (enclosed in a sac-like structure (perigynium) in the genus
Carex), ovary superior; Fruit a biconvex or trigonous achene,1 seed free of pericarp.
Rushes Plants mostly perennial, occasionally annual, herbaceous, caespitose (forming dense tufts) or not, mostly with
rhizomes; Roots fibrous; Leaves 3-ranked (vertical rows) but rarely 2-ranked, mostly basal, often round (terete) but
sometimes grass-like (flat) or reduced, leaf sheaths usually open or split, some with ligules and/or auricles; Stems (culms) are
usually round (terete), sometimes flattened, occasionally 4- or 5-angled, nodes lacking, interior solid; Inflorescence of
spikelets in compound panicles and racemes of cymes, umbels or spikes of head-like clusters to single terminal spikelets,
often subtended by bracts; Flowers perfect, mostly bisexual, occasionally unisexual, perianth present usually as greenish to
brownish tepals (3+3), 3 or 6 stamens, compound superior ovary, 3 stigmas; Fruit a capsule with 3 to many seeds.
**A common saying (but user beware) sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses are hollow right up from the ground
** A variation Sedges have edges and rushes are round, grasses have joints when the cops are not around
Inflorescence the
flowering and seed
forming (reproduction)
part of a grass plant
Culm - (stem of
grass below the
inflorescence)
Leaf - leaves 2ranked (occur on
opposite sides of
culm), and arranged
alternately on culm
Roots Fibrous
roots
Internode
flattened, not
hollow but
with spongy
pith
Node solid,
internode
hollow
Node swollen,
Node swollen,
reddish, internodes glabrous (smooth),
mostly smooth
internodes of culm
ribbed
Glands
(rare)
Nodes long
retrorsely bearded
(tufts of long hair)
Foliage Leaf the numerous large leaves of grasses are alternate and 2-ranked on the Culm, and originate at the
node.
Foliage Leaf Blade usually narrow and long (linear to lanceolate) but sometimes ovate, triangular or other
shapes. They have Parallel veins (with rare exceptions) and the tip or apex of the blade is often fairly sharp-pointed.
Linear to Lanceolate
Somewhat ovate
to lanceolate leaf
Grass leaves may be Basal and/or Cauline (stem). In some species the cauline leaves die back
with winter and a winter basal rosette of leaves is present.
A Foliage Leaf is attached to the Culm (stem) by a Sheath that is ultimately attached at its base,
the Node (leaves originate at nodes). In many grasses, the Sheath is Open (split or unfused) and
often partially overlaps around the Culm however, in some the sheath is fused (closed) partially
to almost totally.
Node
Culm
Leaf Blade
Leaf
Sheath
grows from
node
Culm
Leaf Sheath
Leaf Sheath
is here pulled
away from
culm
Node
Culm
Midrib the larger central vein or rib of the leaf, usually there are several smaller veins or ribs as well although grasses
have Parallel veins there may be smaller cross-veins present and occasionally veins may diverge. Leaf blades may be
glabrous (smooth), hairy, etc. as well.
In the photos below, AD (Adaxial) upper surface facing culm and AB (Abaxial) lower surface facing away from the culm
4 prominent ribs on
each side of larger
midrib (AD)
Fine prickles on
leaf edge
The Leaf Sheath may be Open (unfused) all the way down to the Node or it may be fused at any point
from the Node upward toward the base of the leaf blade.
Closed to above
middle
Leaf Sheath is open all the way to the node
however the sides of the leaf sheath will often
overlap as in some of the above examples
(open is a common condition)
Leaf sheath Closed Sheath may be fused from the node up only a
little ways up the sheath to far up near the base of the leaf blade (almost
completely fused). It is often important in keying out some grasses to
know not only if it is closed but if it is closed below the middle (a little)
or above the middle (a lot). etc.
Intravaginal
Branch
Leaf
Blade
Culm
Branch
Leaf
Sheath
Ligule - a small membrane or sometimes just a line or fringe of hairs, or Ciliate (membranous with cilia of hairs) on the
sheath at the junction of the blade and the sheath in many but not all grasses (may be absent). The Ligule (sometimes
referred to as the rain-guard protecting the sheath) is on the Adaxial side of sheath (toward axis or Culm in this case)
Abaxial would be the opposite orientation.
Culm or stem has been removed in most photos below
Ligule mostly of
hairs
Ligule membranous,
margin even
A rare Ligule of
bristles
Auricles (Auriculate) small ear-like projections at the junction of the Leaf Sheath and the base of the Leaf of some grasses;
Collar the area found at the junction of leaf sheath and base of leaf blade on Abaxial side (opposite side to Ligule and culm).
Leaf Blade
Auricle
Leaf
Sheath
Auricle
Auricle
Auricle
Leaf Blade
Leaf
Sheath
Collar
Collar rounded
Auricle
Fibrous Roots besides the short-lived primary root that grows from the seed, all grasses have fibrous roots
(roots that are small in diameter and usually in large numbers) - in addition, some grasses have underground
stems (Rhizomes) and above ground runners (Stolons) (next slide).
Scaly Rhizomes
Rachis the central stalk within an Inflorescence; Rachilla a secondary internode or branch within the inflorescence
Spikelet the basic unit (ultimate or smallest flower cluster) of a grass. An inflorescence is made up spikelets with flowers.
Pedicel the stalk which holds a Spikelet unless it is attached directly to a branch or the Rachis and is then said to be
Sessile (no stalk).
Peduncle the stalk just below the Inflorescence
Inflorescence
Unbalanced
Spike - to
one side
Spikelet
Rachis
Spikelet
Pedicel
Rachis
Culm
No Pedicels above
because spikelets
are Sessile on the
Rachis also, it is
a Balanced Spike
1. -Spike - a simple (single axis) spike with spikelets sessile to Rachis. Spikelets may be all on one side of axis, symmetrical
along axis (Balanced) or other configurations (be careful in grasses, what may seem to be a Spike at first glance is often a
Raceme!). Below are 3 examples of Balanced Spikes and 1 one-sided spike.
Thinopyrum ponticum
(Podp.) Z.-W. Liu & R.-C.
Lolium perenne L. (Introduced)
Wang (Tall Wheatgrass)
(Perennial [English] Ryegrass)
(Introduced)
1-sided spike
Hordeum pusillum
Nutt. (Little Barley)
Spikelets attached by
the flat side to the culm
2. -Raceme - a spike with the spikelets on pedicels of varying length, flowers lower on the Inflorescence maturing first;
Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel.
(Rattail [Annual; Foxtail] Fescue)
Spikelet
Pedicel
Phleum pratense L.
Introduced (Timothy)
Bromus tectorum L.
(Introduced) (Downy
Brome[Cheatgrass])
Dense Panicle
Panicum virgatum L.
(Switchgrass)
Open Panicle
Pulvini are swellings (usually at the base of a petiole) but here at the base of a branch
from the Rachis in a grass Inflorescence. Sometimes the characteristics of these
Pulvini may aid in ID of some species.
Pulvini with
dense hairs
covering the
swellings
Pulvini with
very long hairs
Pulvini with
hairs only on top
of swelling
Most of the botanical terms need to describe Spikelets is given below and on the next slide. These
terms and others will be presented with illustrations and descriptions of a few individual species to
follow
Each Spikelet often contains 2 basal Glumes (empty Bracts, 1 on each side of axis) with 1 to 60+ Florets (flowers) above the
Glumes which are attached to the Rachis (central axis) or Rachilla (a branch, smaller order or little Rachis) in a compound
Inflorescence. The Glumes and Florets are attached Distichously (Distichous) (2-ranked in 2 vertical rows on opposite
sides of axis). A Glume typically has an odd number of veins and may have an Awn(s) - a stiff bristle at tip. A Glume may vary
in shape and may look like a Awn itself (Subulate). Veins and awns may be important in ID. In some species 1 or both
glumes may be absent.
A Floret (flower) consists usually of a Lemma (lower outer bract), a Palea (upper inner Bract) with the reproductive apparatus
(stamens and pistils between them). Lodicules (0, 2 to 3) are scales or swellings at the base of the ovary (may represent
what's left of the Perianth of flower) that at flowering swells and forces the Lemma outward to expose the reproductive parts of
the flower to the wind. No Sepals or Petals (Perianth) are present and so the flower is said to be naked.
A Lemma (lower and outer bract of a floret) has veins (usually an odd number with a more prominent midrib and lesser veins
parallel to it but they do tend to converge toward the tip). Often, the Midrib forms a Keel (Lemma is folded or rounded over the
Midrib). The Lemma may have 1 (less often 2 or 3) Awns (bristles) usually arising from an extension of the midrib (and less
often from other veins) awns (when present) may originate from near the base, middle, or near tip of Lemma. It also has a
hard and thick base termed a Callus (may be well developed or not and hairy or not).
The Palea, (upper and inner bract of the floret) is occasionally absent or is very small in some grasses, however it is present in
most grasses (sometimes transparent) and it has 2 major veins, usually 1 each along a margin (sometimes ciliate) and may or
may not have other minor veins.
Each Floret (flower) may be Bisexual (Perfect, male and female with both stamens and pistils); Or Staminate only (male,
having Stamens only and will not bear fruit); Or Pistillate only (female, having pistils but no stamens); Or Sterile (having
neither staminate or pistillate structures Or having a reduced structure); Or a spikelet with multiple florets may have mixed
florets of above. Also, a few grasses are Monoecious and a few Dioecious.
There is large diversity in the anatomy of Grasses. The plants may be erect to decumbent, small to large, leaves may vary
from small to large and in various shapes, the sheath is usually open but may be partially to wholly closed, the Glumes of a
Spikelet may be severely reduced to almost nothing or so large they cover the Florets, in some the upper Florets are fertile
and the lower Sterile, and some Spikelets may be male only or female only and in some grasses a plant may be male only or
female only. A few grasses are Cleistogamous (self pollinating). In addition many parts of grasses may or may not have
bristles, hairs, awns, keels, etc. At first grasses may seem to all look alike but they do vary widely as one should expect
from the 4th largest family of flowering plants.
Spikelet
Spikelet
Awns from
Lemmas of
Florets
Upper Florets
yet to open
Only the Lemma of
each floret is in view
(Palea is hidden).
The Spikelet is very
Dorsally flattened,
giving the Lemmas
well developed keels
10
Florets
Stamens from
the opening of
a few lower
florets
Upper Glume
Stigmas of
lower open
florets
Upper Glume
Lower Glume
Lower Glume
Pedicel
The photos above illustrate rather simple spikelets with glumes and multiple fertile florets. There
are many exceptions to this as you will see in the following slides. It is best if one quickly
memorizes the terminology of grass anatomy before continuing.
The Flora of North America, Volumes 24 and 25, lists 10 Subfamilies, 25 Tribes,
236 Genera and 1,373 Species in North America (North of Mexico) for
comparison sake, The Flora of Missouri, Volume 1, lists 89 Genera and 276+
Species - 700+ Genera and 11,000+ Species estimated world-wide.
Tribes are important in ID grasses and most keys use Tribes. However, not all
sources agree on the number and names of grass Tribes present. On this website
I have used the Tribes as listed in the Flora of North America.
The following slides will try to illustrate some of the diversity of Spikelet Morphology by
looking at examples in several Tribes. Measurements are often critical in ID but they are
mostly not given in these examples (see individual species in database).
1.
Pic 1. -a single Spikelet with 2 Glumes, it also has 2
Florets (see Pic 2. below)
Florets
Lower Glume
Upper glume
2.
Upper Fertile
Floret
Anther
Lower
Floret Palea
Lower
Floret
Lemma
1.
Note the transverse
wrinkles (rugose
texture) on the upper
Lemma
Lower
Glume
(longer)
Upper
Glume
(smaller)
Spikelet subtended
by 4 to 12, usually
yellowish bristles,
antrorsely (forward
directed) barbed
2.
Anthers
Inflorescence
axis with
short hairs
Feathery stigma
Pic 2. The dried Fascicles can make for painful walking on the beach. This
feature is always early in any grass ID key.
1.
2.
Spikelet with lower staminate floret and upper fertile floret, spikelet length in this
case 4.5 mm (can vary from 3+ to 5+ mm)
1.
Upper Glume
Lower Lemma
Upper Glume,
slightly shorter
than spikelet
Lower Glume
3.
2.
Tiny tuft of
hair often
Lower
staminate floret
with
transparent
palea
Upper fertile
floret
removed
from spikelet
1.
glumes
Long Hairy on
keel of glumes
2.
1 Floret
anthers
3.
Palea
Lemma
A.
Subspecies bulbosa
with normal fertile florets
(note the bulb-like culm
bases)
B.
Subspecies Vivipara
with vegetative
bulblets replacing the
normal fertile florets,
these bulblets will drop
off and prorogate the
species
Vegetative
Bulblet
1.
Upper
sterile
floret
2.
Lemma
of Floret
Upper glume
Awn of
Lemma
Caryopis
3.
Upper glume
Lower Glume
Lemma
Palea
1.
3 mm
Glumes
reduced to a
cup-like
structure at
base of spikelet
Lemma (5
nerved,
ciliate or not)
2.
1.
Small awns
on Glumes
Upper Glume
Lemma
Lower Glume
2.
Callus
3.
Mature
spikelet, post
flowering
Immature
spikelet from
lower part of
inflorescence,
awns not
dried and
bent yet
Another pair
pedicellate
(staminate)
spikelet of
2st pair
sessile
spikelet (with
perfect floret)
of 2st pair
pedicellate
(staminate)
spikelet of
1st pair
Pedicel of
pedicellate
spikelet (2nd
pair)
Pedicel of
pedicellate
(staminate)
spikelet (1st
pair)
Branch or
internode to
next 2-spikelet
pair
sessile spikelet
(with perfect floret)
of 1st pair
A unit of structure is then both the sessile and pedicellate spikelets plus
the branch or internode that goes up to the next sessile spikelet of the
next pair of spikelets (disarticulation often taking place here).
A RAME (term of structure) is an inflorescence or part of an
inflorescence composed of the basic units disarticulating as above. I
have read descriptions in which the term RAME seems to be used for
the basic 2-spikelet structure.
If the sessile and pedicellate spikelets are sexually different they are
called heterogamous; if sexually alike they are called homogamous.
Most grasses in the Andropogoneae are heterogamous. If the sessile
and pedicellate spikelets are morphologically different they are called
heteromorphic; if morphologically alike they are called homomorphic.
Most grasses in the Andropogoneae are heteromorphic.
2.
Pedicellate
spikelet
Upper sterile
or staminate
spikelet
1.
Upper floret
lemma of
sessile spikelet
with awn
somewhat
spiraled and
bent
A RAME Inflorescence
4.
3.
Pecidellate sterile
spikelet absent
or much reduced
Sessile
Spikelet
Pedicel about as
long or less than
sessile spikelet
Pedicellate
Spkelet,
reduced and
sterile, shorter
than sessile
spikelet
Sessile
Spikelet
2.
1.
Paired Staminate
Spikelets, sessile
or with very short
pedicels, stamen
anthers shown
here
Pistillate Spikelets,
Lower Glume
covers 2 florets, 1
sterile (lower) and 1
fertile (upper)
pistillate florets,
Feathery styles of
pistillate floret
3.
inflorescence
Elymus villosus Muhl. ex Willd. (Hairy [Downy] Wild Rye) Triticeae Tribe
1.
Glumes
spikelets
Nodes with
paired
spikelets
removed
A Lower
Glume
1.
Abaxial view of
tripe spikelets at
node (away from
rachis)
Glumes
2 smaller lateral
spikelets
1 Larger central
spikelet
Apical teeth
of Lemma
3.
1 Floret
1.
Awn is an
extension of the
Lemma midrib
Florets
Caryopis
Palea (pulled out
some) nearly
transparent with
ciliate margins,
shorter than
Lemma
2.
Lemma
Glumes
Transparent Palea
Melica nitens (Scribn.) Nutt. ex Piper (Three-Flowered Melic Grass) - Meliceae Tribe
Club-shaped Rudiment
in sterile floret
2.
1.
Note Rachilla
internodes (2-3
mm) between
florets
Lower
Glume
Upper
Glume
3.
Leaf sheaths are closed from base to middle or to near the top of the leaf sheath in the following;
1. Tribe Poeae (Genus Dactylis and some in the Genus Festuca)
2. Tribe Bromeae (Genus Bromus)
3. Tribe Melica (Genera Glyceria, Melica, Schizachne, and Pleuropogon).