U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
1950
Citation
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, D.C. Issued May 1935 Revised February 1951.
Abstract
By the late A. S. HITCHCOCK (died December 16, 1935), principal botanist, Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction; second edition revised by AGNES CHASE, formerly senior botanist and later collaborator, Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction, Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agnculturat Engineering, Agricultural Research Administration, and research associate, United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Of all the plants of the earth the grasses are of the greatest use to the human race. To the grasses belong the cereals, sugarcane, sorghum, and the bamboos; and, since they furnish the bulk of the forage for domestic animals, the grasses are also the basis of animal industry. The grasses furnish the principal breadstuffs of the world and a large part of the food of domestic animals; they are also used in the industrial arts and extensively as greensward and ornamentals in parks and gardens. The most important food plants for the human race are the cereals, including wheat, corn (maize), rice, barley, rye, oats, and many kinds of grain sorghums. For primitive peoples the seed of certain other grasses, such as pearl millet, common millet, broomcorn millet, Japanese millet, and African millet (ragi), have played an important role. The seeds of the cereals are also extensively used as feed for domestic animals.
Introduction 1
Uses of grasses 1
Distribution of grasses 4
Morphology of grasses 6
Classification of grasses 9
Nomenclature 11
Common names 12
Scope of the manual 13
Gramineae (Poaceae), the grass family 13
Descriptions of the subfamilies and keys to the tribes 14
Subfamily 1. Festucoideae 14
Subfamily 2. Panicoideae 15
Descriptions of the tribes and keys to the genera 15
Tribe 1. Bambuseae 15
Tribe 2. Festuceae 15
Tribe 3. Hordeae 18
Tribe 4. Aveneae 19
Tribe 5. Agrostideae 20
Tribe 6. Zovsieae 21
Tribe 7. Chlorideae 22
Tribe 8. Phalarideae 23
Tribe 9. Oryzeae 23
Tribe 10. Zizanieae 23
Tribe 11. Melinideae 24
Tribe 12. Paniceae 24
Tribe 13. Andropogoneae 25
Tribe 14. Tripsaceae 26
Descriptions of genera and species 27
Tribe 1. Bambuseae 27
Tribe 2. Festuceae 31
Tribe 3. Hordeae 230
Tribe 4. Aveneae 280
Tribe 5. Agrostideae 313
Tribe 6. Zoysieae 482
Tribe 7. Chlorideae 491
TribeS. Phalarideae 547
Tribe 9. Oryzeae 556
Tribe 10. Zizanieae 561
Tribe 11. Melinideae 569
Tribe 12. Paniceae 569
Tribe 13. Andropogoneae 737
Tribe 14. Tripsaceae 789
Synonymy 796
Unidentified names 980
Persons for whom grasses have been named 984
Glossary 990
Appendix 994
Addenda 1000
Index 1001
Comments
U.S. government work