Monocots II Sedges have edges Rushes are round Grasses have nodes from the top to the ground

General flowers

Juncaceae - Rush family Perennial herbs Spiral, sheathing leaves Trimerous flowers Actinomorphic flowers Loculicidal capsule 7 genera / 430 species P 3+3 [2+2 or 3] A 3+3 [3+0 or 2] G (3), superior, hypanthium absent

Juncus acutus

Juncus bufonius

Juncus dubius

Juncus phaeocephalus

Cyperaceae – Sedge Family Sedges have edges BUT, Scripus (Bulrush) has very round stems Bristles or hairs in place of sepals and petals Fruit is an achene or a nutlet and lens- shaped or triangular 90 genera and 4000 species

Cyperaceae

Cyperus papyrus - papyrus

Eleocharis dulcis – water chestnut

Poaceae - Grass family Hollow-pithed stems Open-sheathed, distichous leaves Ligule may be present at inner junction with blade Grass spikelet = axis + two basal glumes + 1-∞ florets Floret = short lateral axis + lemma + palea + flower Fruit is a caryopsis (grain). 668 genera / 9,500 species P 2-3 lodicules A 2-3 (pendulous) G (2-3)

1) Agricultural grains (most important food in world): barley (Hordeum) corn (Zea) oats (Avena) rice (Oryza) rye (Secale) wheat (Triticum); 2) forage and grazing plants; 3) important components of many ecosystems, such as grasslands and savannahs. Economic Importance

distichous leaf arrangement

open sheath

ligule

Bambusa spp. - Bamboo

Fruit is a caryopsis

Achnatherum coronatum

Agrostis pallens

Arundo donax Invasive

Avena barbata

Avena fatua – Wild Oats

Bromus tectorum – Cheatgrass Invasive

Cortaderia selloana – Pampas Grass

Cynodon dactylon Bermuda Grass