Poaceae Barnhart. Common name: Grass Family.
A family of about 771 genera and 12,074 species, herbs (and some shrubs and trees), cosmopolitan. Tribal classification largely follows FNA (2003a, 2007a), with some changes based on subsequent research, as for instance in the Chloridoideae (Peterson, Romaschenko, & Johnson 2010a). Key to genera adapted in large part from FNA. Subtribal classification of the Andropogoneae is from Welker et al. (2020).
Grass classification from Soreng et al. (2015).
“BOP” CLADE
<tab/>subfamily Oryzoideae {or Ehrhartioideae? See Kellogg 2015 in Kubitzki}
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Oryzeae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Oryzinae: Leersia, Oryza
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Zizaniinae: Luziola, Zizania, Zizaniopsis
<tab/>subfamily Bambusoideae
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Arundinarodae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Arundinarieae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Arundinariinae: Arundinaria, Phyllostachys, Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, Sasa
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Bambusoideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Bambuseae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Bambusinae: Bambusa
<tab/>subfamily Pooideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Brachyelytreae: Brachyelytrum
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Meliceae: Glyceria, Melica, Schizachne
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Stipeae: Eriocoma, Nassella, Oryzopsis, Patis, Piptatheropsis, Piptatherum, Piptochaetium
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Diarrheneae: Diarrhena
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Brachypodieae: Brachypodium
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Poodae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Poeae (CHLOROPLAST GROUP 1 Aveneae type)
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Torreyochloinae: Amphibromus, Torreyochloa
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Aveninae: Arrhenatherum, Avena, Koeleria, Lagurus, Rostraria, Sphenopholis, Trisetum
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Phalaridinae: Phalaris
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Anthoxanthinae: Anthoxanthum
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Brizinae: Briza
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Agrostidinae: Agrostis, Ammophila, Calamagrostis, Gastridium, Lachnagrostis, Limnodea, Polypogon
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Poeae (CHLOROPLAST GROUP 2 Poeae type)
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>incertae sedis: Avenula
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Coleanthinae: Puccinellia, Sclerochloa
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Miliinae: Milium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Poinae: Alopecurus, Apera, Beckmannia, Cinna, Phleum, Poa
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Airinae: Aira, Avenella
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Holcinae: Deschampsia, Holcus
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Loliinae: Festuca (incl. Vulpia), Lolium (incl. Schedonorus)
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Dactylidinae: Dactylis
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Cynosurinae: Cynosurus
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Parapholiinae: Desmazeria, Hainardia, Parapholis
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Triticodae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Bromeae: Bromus
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Triticeae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Hordeinae: Agropyron, Elymus, Hordeum, Pascopyrum, Secale
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Triticinae: Aegilops, Thinopyrum, Triticum
“PACMAD” CLADE
<tab/>subfamily Aristidoideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Aristideae: Aristida
<tab/>subfamily Panicoideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Chasmanthieae: Chasmanthium
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Panicodae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Paniceae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>incertae sedis: Sacciolepis
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Anthephorinae: Digitaria
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Dichantheliinae: Dichanthelium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Boivinellinae: Alloteropsis, Amphicarpum, Echinochloa, Oplismenus
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Melinidinae: Eriochloa, Megathyrsus, Melinis, Urochloa
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Panicinae: Panicum
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Cenchrinae: Cenchrus (incl. Pennisetum), Setaria, Paspalidium?, Stenotaphrum
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Paspaleae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Paspalinae: Axonopus, Paspalum
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Otachyriinae: Hymenachne, Steinchisma
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Arthropogoninae: Coleataenia, Phanopyrum
<tab/><tab/>supertribe Andropogonodae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Andropogoneae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>incertae sedis: Chrysopogon, Imperata, Tripidium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Arthraxoninae: Arthraxon
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Tripsacinae: Tripsacum, Zea
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Coicinae: Coix
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Rottboelliinae: Elionurus, Eremochloa, Mnesithea (incl. Coelorachis, Hackelochloa), Rottboellia
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Sorghinae: Sorghastrum, Sorghum
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Saccharinae: Erianthus, Microstegium, Miscanthus, Saccharum s.s.
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Andropogoninae: Andropogon, Hyparrhenia, Schizachyrium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Anthistiriinae: Bothriochloa, Heteropogon
<tab/>subfamily Arundinoideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Arundineae: Arundo
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Molinieae: Molinia, Phragmites
<tab/>subfamily Danthonioideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Danthonieae: Cortaderia, Danthonia
<tab/>subfamily Chloridoideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Eragrostideae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Unioliinae: Uniola
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Eragrostidinae: Eragrostis, Neeragrostis
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Zoysieae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Zoysiinae: Zoysia
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Sporobolinae: Sporobolus , Calamovilfa, Crypsis, Spartina)
<tab/><tab/><tab/>tribe Cynodonteae
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>incertae sedis: Dactyloctenium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Gouiniinae: Triplasis
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Cteniinae: Ctenium
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Gymnopogoninae: Gymnopogon
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Eleusininae: Chloris, Cynodon, Dinebra, Diplachne, Disakisperma, Eleusine, Enteropogon, Eustachys, Leptochloa, Lepturus
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Pappophorinae: Tridens
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Traginae: Tragus
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Monanthochloinae: Distichlis (incl. Monanthochloa)
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Boutelouinae: Bouteloua (incl. Buchloe, Opizia)
<tab/><tab/><tab/><tab/>subtribe Muhlenbergiinae: Muhlenbergia
Key advice:The key to bamboos based on Stapleton (2007). Other genera are grown and may be expected to persist and vegetatively spread or potentially truly naturalize in our area.
References: Blomquist (1948); Clark & Kellogg (2007) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007a); Delfini et al. (2023); Hitchcock & Chase (1951); Kellogg (2015); Peterson, Romaschenko, & Johnson (2010a); Peterson, Romaschenko, & Johnson (2010b); Welker et al. (2020). Show full citations.
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend. Data for arrows not developed for genera and families which may have species only occurring outside the flora area.
© Gary P. Fleming | Agrostis | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Andropogon
© Lowell Urbatsch | Panicum dichotomiflorum var. dichotomiflorum | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Zizaniopsis | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Anthenantia | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Mnesithea | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Calamagrostis | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Aristida
© Keith Bradley | Tripsacum | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Cenchrus | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Elionurus | Original Image ⭷
© Lowell Urbatsch | Panicum dichotomiflorum var. dichotomiflorum | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Avena | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Axonopus | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Imperata
© Keith Bradley | Arundo | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Briza | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Ctenium
© Keith Bradley | Dactyloctenium | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Andropogon
© Keith Bradley | Luziola | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Distichlis | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley | Phyllostachys source
© Keith Bradley | Lolium | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Eustachys | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Hyparrhenia | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Zea | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Dichanthelium portoricense ssp. patulum
© Keith Bradley | Echinochloa | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Echinochloa | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley | Sasa palmata source | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson | Bromus source | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Bromus | Original Image ⭷
© Christian Berg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christian Berg | Aegilops source | Original Image ⭷
© Zihao Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zihao Wang | Bromus commutatus source | Original Image ⭷
© Zihao Wang, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zihao Wang | Bromus commutatus source | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Setaria parviflora | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Poaceae? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.