Utah Flora BOT2100 Lecture 4 Monocots Including: Agavaceae Liliaceae Poaceae (Graminae)

Utah Flora BOT2100 Flowering plants with a ovary wall (carpels) Corollas and calyx generally not distinguishable sometimes bract-like others petaloid, called tepals Flower parts in 3’s Leaves generally with parallel veins A single cotyledon (1 st leaf) Monocots

Utah Flora BOT2100 Major Families Agavaceae – Agave, Yucca, sometimes included in Liliaceae Amaryllidaceae – Amaryllis, Narcissus Commelinaceae – spiderworts Cyperaceae – sedges Iridaceae – Iris, Gladiolus Juncaceae – rushes Liliaceae – Lilies, onions Poaceae – grasses Typhaceae – cattails Monocots

Utah Flora BOT2100 Asparagales 14 families 1,122 genera 26,070 species Agavaceae Worldwide 10 genera340 species Utah (Native and Introduced) 3 genera 13 species DNA analyses places this family within as expanded Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family)

Utah Flora BOT2100 Asparagales Agavaceae Agave Worldwide 210 species Utah (Native) 1 species endemic to North, Central, and South America leaves spirally arranged ovary inferior perianth regular tepals fused (at least basally) and whitish to yellowish fruit a capsule

Utah Flora BOT2100 Agave utahensis restricted in Utah to Washington Co. inflorescence narrowly cylindric (appears spicate) leaves armed with prominent teeth Asparagales Agavaceae copyright Stan Shebs, 2006 Stan Shebs, 2006

Utah Flora BOT2100 Asparagales Agavaceae Yucca Worldwide 50 species Utah (Native) 13 species endemic to North, Central, and South America leaves spirally arranged ovary superior perianth regular tepals seperate, fleshy, and whitish fruit a capsule

Utah Flora BOT2100 Yucca breviflora restricted in Utah to Washington Co. one of 2 tree-like Yucca species in Utah, all others are shrubs leaves less than 2.5 dm long Asparagales Agavaceae copyright UBC Botanic Garden

Utah Flora BOT2100 Yucca harrimaniae most widely distributed Yucca in Utah leaves concave on one side other species with leaves flat on one side Asparagales Agavaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Liliales 11 families67 genera1,558 species Liliaceae Worldwide 19 genera610 species Utah (Native or Introduced) 28 genera* 39 species *The Utah flora recognizes many more genera in Liliaceae than current DNA analyses support. These genera have been split into their own families.

Utah Flora BOT2100 Liliales Liliaceae Allium Worldwide 800 species Utah (Native and introduced) 13 species perennial herbs, +/- scapose, with bulbs inflorescence umbellate perianth regular, all segments alike & petaloid tepals separate and whitish to pinkish ovary superior fruit a capsule

Utah Flora BOT2100 Allium acuminatum widespread in Utah leaves 2 to 4, opposite bulbcoats with prominent, thick- margined veins (reticulations) Liliales Liliaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Calochortus Worldwide 60 species Utah (Native) 8 species restricted to North and Central America perennial herbs with bulbs, stems leafy inflorescence generally solitary perianth regular, outer segments bract-like, inner segments petaloid tepals separate and whitish, yellowish, pinkish ovary superior fruit a capsule Liliales Liliaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Calochortus nuttallii widespread in Utah stems erect perianth whitish to purplish hairy gland at base of tepals Liliales Liliaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Poales 17 families997 genera 18,325 species Poaceae Worldwide 668 genera 10,035 species Utah (Native and Introduced) 91 genera 203 species 3 rd largest family in Utah All members of this family have a bract-like perianth (lemma and palea) and a caryopsis for fruit

Sheathing Utah Flora BOT2100 The Grass Leaf leaf blade forms a sheath as it surrounds the stem blade sheath stem

Glumes Utah Flora BOT2100 The Grass Flower 1 st whorl (bract-like) 2 glumes, subopposite alike or unlike one another Lemma Palea 2nd whorl (bract-like) 1 lemma different than palea may look similar to glumes 1 st whorl (bract-like) 3rd whorl (bract-like) 1 palea often thin & papery enclosed inside lemma, mostly 4 Parts: outer husk=glumes

Utah Flora BOT2100 Poales Poaceae Stipa Achnatherum Worldwide 100 species Utah (Native) 17 species spikelets pedicillate with a single floret spikelets disarticulating above the glumes glumes longer than the lemma lemmas with simple awns (not branched)

Utah Flora BOT2100 Stipa comata Hesperostipa comata one of the most widespread species of Stipa in Utah terminal awn 5 cm long or longer with hairs less than 1 mm long Poales Poaceae glumes awned lemma

Utah Flora BOT2100 Poales Poaceae Elymus Agropyron Worldwide 150 species Utah (Native and Introduced) ~18 species inflorescence a solitary, terminal spike spikelets 1-several at each node spikelets sessile with 1 to many florets spikelets with a disarticulating rachis disarticulating above the glumes, also glumes can be short-awned, lemmas awnless

Utah Flora BOT2100 Elymus cinereus Leymus cinereus widespread in Great Basin clump-forming perennials (can have short rhizomes) inflorescence spicate spikelets 3-7 at a node Poales Poaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Poales Poaceae Bromus Worldwide 100 species Utah (Native and Introduced) 16 species spikelets pedicillate with 2 to many florets spikelets disarticulating above the glumes glumes longer than the lemma to shorter than the lemma lemmas with simple awns (not branched)

Utah Flora BOT2100 Bromus tectorum widespread exotic weed very flammable when dry, good tinder for man-made wildfires awns of the lemma less than 13 mm panicles loosely flowered Poales Poaceae

Utah Flora BOT2100 Poales Poaceae Phragmites Worldwide 3 species Utah (Native) 1 species large, rhizomatous, wetland grasses (reeds) spikelets pedicillate with 2 to many florets spikelets disarticulating above the glumes glumes shorter than the lemma

Utah Flora BOT2100 Phragmites australis widespread saline marsh grass inflorescence large branches drooping Poales Poaceae Copyright Environment Canada

Utah Flora BOT2100 Assignment Draw and label species provided in lab Make sure to label those morphological features that helped you identify the sample (the characters in the key) Identify & label all samples to family and genus For Practice: use A Utah Flora to identify & label all samples to species (other than any we determined in class together)