Flowering Plants. Monocots, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2015 Poaceae The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants Series, Vol. 13

This volume is the outcome of a modern phylogenetic analysis of the grass family based on multiple sources of data, in particular molecular systematic studies resulting from a concerted effort by researchers worldwide, including the author. In the classification given here grasses are subdivided into 12 subfamilies with 29 tribes and over 700 genera. The keys and descriptions for the taxa above the rank of genus are hierarchical, i.e. they concentrate upon characters which are deemed to be synapomorphic for the lineages and may be applicable only to their early-diverging taxa.

Beyond the treatment of phylogeny and formal taxonomy, the author presents a wide range of information on topics such as the structural characters of grasses, their related functional aspects and particularly corresponding findings from the field of developmental genetics with inclusion of genes and gene products instrumental in the shaping of morphological traits (in which this volume appears unique within this book series); further topics addressed include the contentious time of origin of the family, the emigration of the originally shade-loving grasses out of the forest to form vast grasslands accompanied by the switch of many members to C₄ photosynthesis, the impact of herbivores on the silica cycle housed in the grass phytoliths, the reproductive biology of grasses, the domestication of major cereal crops and the affinities of grasses within the newly circumscribed order Poales.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of existing knowledge on the Poaceae (Gramineae), with major implications in terms of key scientific challenges awaiting future research. It certainly will be of interest both for the grass specialist and also the generalist seeking state-of-the-art information on the diversity of grasses, the most ecologically and economically important of the families of flowering plants.

Poaceae – General Information

Description of the family

Vegetative morphology and anatomy

            Roots

            Stems

            Leaves

                        Morphology and development

                        Leaf epidermis

                        Internal anatomy of leaves

Inflorescence structure

            Transition to flowering

            Bract formation and inflorescence phyllotaxis

            Numbers of orders of branching

            Numbers of branches or spikelets at each order of branching

            Branch angle

            Axis elongation

            Spikelets

            Disarticulation

Flower structure

Embryology

            Ovule

            Megagametophyte

            Embryo

            Endosperm

Karyology and genome structure

            Chromosome number

            Polyploidy

            Genome size

            Genome mapping, sequencing and conservation of gene order

            GC content

Pollen

            Morphology and anther structure

            Pollination

                        Pollen transfer

                        Pollen germination and pollen tube growth

Fruit and seed

            Dispersal

                        Unassisted or wind dispersal

                        Dispersal in time: seed dormancy

                        Dispersal by animals

                        Role of the awn

                        Forcible dispersal

Phytochemistry

            Phenolics

            Derivatives of amino acids (tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine)

            Terpenoids

            Chemicals produced by symbionts or pathogens

            Phytosiderophores

Distribution, habitats and conservation

            Distribution and maintenance of grasslands

            Distribution of major clades

            Species diversity

            Conservation and response to climate change

Reproductive systems

            Unisexual vs. bisexual flowers

            Self-pollination and self-incompatibility systems

            Cleistogamy

            Barriers to interspecific crossing

            Asexual reproduction

Fossil record and dates of diversification

Domestication

            Origins of major cereal crops

            Morphological changes in domestication

            Genetic and genomic changes in domestication

Affinities

Classification of the Poaceae

Subdivision of the family

            Key to the subfamilies

I. Subfamily Anomochlooideae

Spikelet clade

II. Subfamily Pharoideae

Bistigmatic clade

III. Subfamily Puelioideae

BEP + PACMAD clades

BEP clade

            Incertae sedis – Streptogyna

IV. Subfamily Ehrhartoideae

            Ehrhartoideae Incertae sedis – Suddia

            I. Tribe Phyllorachideae

            II. Tribe Ehrharteae

            III. Tribe Oryzeae

                        III.1. Subtribe Oryzinae

                        III.2. Subtribe Zizaniinae

V. Subfamily Bambusoideae

            IV. Tribe Arundinarieae

                        Clade I. Bergbambos

                        Clade II. Oldeania

                        Clade III. Chimonocalamus

                        Clade IV. Shibataea

                        Clade V. Phyllostachys

                        Clade VI. Arundinaria

                        Clade VII. Thamnocalamus

                        Clade VIII. “Indocalamus” wilsonii

                        Clade IX. Gaoligongshania

                        Clade X. Indocalamus s.s.

                        Clade XI. “Ampelocalamus” calcareus

                        Clade XII. Kuruna

            V. Tribe Bambuseae

            Neotropical clade

                        V.1. Subtribe Chusqueinae

                        V.2. Subtribe Arthrostylidiinae

                        V.3. Subtribe Guaduinae

            Paleotropical clade

                        V.4. Subtribe Bambusinae

                        V.5. Subtribe Melocanninae

                        V.6. Subtribe Hickeliinae

                        V.7. Subtribe Racemobambosinae

            VI. Tribe Olyreae

                        VI.1. Subtribe Buergersiochloinae

                        VI.2. Subtribe Parianinae

                        VI.3. Subtribe Olyrinae

VI. Subfamily Pooideae

            VII. Tribe Brachyelytreae

            VIII. Tribe Nardeae

            IX. Tribe Phaenospermateae

            X. Tribe Stipeae

            XI. Tribe Meliceae

            XII. Tribe Diarrheneae

            XIII. Tribe Brachypodieae

            XIV. Tribe Bromeae

            XV. Tribe Triticeae

            XVI. Tribe Poeae

                        Incertae sedis

                        XVI.1. Subtribe Torreyochloinae

                        XVI.2. Subtribe Aveninae

                        XVI.3. Subtribe Phalaridinae

                        XVI.4. Subtribe Anthoxanthinae

                        XVI.5. Subtribe Agrostidinae

                        XVI.6. Subtribe Scolochloinae

                        XVI.7. Subtribe Airinae

                        XVI.8. Subtribe Ammochloinae

                        XVI.9. Subtribe Cynosurinae

                        XVI.10. Subtribe Loliinae

                        XVI.11. Subtribe Dactylidinae

                        XVI.12. Subtribe Parapholiinae

                        XVI.13. Subtribe Sesleriinae

                        XVI.14. Subtribe Coleanthinae

                        XVI.15. Subtribe Poinae

PACMAD clade

VII. Subfamily Aristidoideae

VIII. Subfamily Panicoideae

            XVII. Tribe Steyermarkochloeae

            XVIII. Tribe Tristachyideae

            XIX. Tribe Chasmanthieae

            XX. Tribe Gynerieae

            XXI. Tribe Centotheceae

            Panicoideae s.s.

            Panicoideae s.s. incertae sedis

            XXII. Tribe Andropogoneae

                        XXII.1. Subtribe Arundinellinae

                        Andropogoneae s.s.

                        Andropogoneae s.s. incertae sedis

                        XXII.2. Subtribe Tripsacinae

                        XXII.3. Subtribe Rottboelliinae

                        XXII.4. Subtribe Ischaeminae

                        XXII.5. Subtribe Saccharinae

                        XXII.6. Subtribe Germainiinae

                        XXII.7. Subtribe Andropogoninae

         XXIII. Tribe Paspaleae

                     XXIII.1. Subtribe Arthropogoninae

                     XXIII.2. Subtribe Otachyriinae

                     XXIII.3. Subtribe Paspalinae

         XXIV. Tribe Paniceae

                     Incertae sedis

                     XXIV.1. Subtribe Anthephorinae

                     XXIV.2. Subtribe Boivinellinae

                     XXIV.3. Subtribe Neurachninae

                     XXIV.4. Subtribe Cenchrinae

                     XXIV.5. Subtribe Melinidinae

                     XXIV.6. Subtribe Panicinae

IX. Subfamily Danthonioideae

X. Subfamily Chloridoideae

            XXV. Tribe Centropodieae

                        Core C₄ Chloridoideae, incertae sedis

            XXVI. Tribe Triraphideae

            XXVII. Tribe Eragrostideae

                        Incertae sedis

                        XXVII.1. Subtribe Cotteinae

                        XXVII.2. Subtribe Eragrostidinae

                        XXVII.3. Subtribe Uniolinae

            XXVIII. Tribe Zoysieae

            XXIX. Tribe Cynodonteae

                        Incertae sedis

                        XXIX.1. Subtribe Boutelouinae

                        XXIX.2. Subtribe Orcuttiinae

                        XXIX.3. Subtribe Gouiniinae

                        XXIX.4. Subtribe Triodiinae

                        XXIX.5. Subtribe Eleusininae

                        XXIX.6. Subtribe Tripogoninae

                        XXIX.7. Subtribe Pappophorinae

XI. Subfamily Micrairoideae

XII. Subfamily Arundinoideae

Richly illustrated

Takes the most recent systematic findings into account

An indispensable source of information for anybody in the fields of pure and applied plant sciences