list of plants in the family Poaceae

With more than 11,700 species, the grass family, Poaceae, is one of the largest families of flowering plants. Its members are monocotyledons and feature leaves with parallel veins; the flowers are usually wind-pollinated. Many grasses are cultivated as ornamental plants and for lawns, and several are staple cereal crops. The following is a list of some of the major genera and species in Poaceae, arranged alphabetically by common name.

• bamboo (subfamily Bambusoideae)

  • genus Arundinaria
• barley (Hordeum vulgare)
• barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)
• beach grass (genus Ammophila)
• bentgrass (genus Agrostis)

  • creeping bent (A. stolonifera)
• Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
• bluegrass (genus Poa)
• bluestem (genus Andropogon)
• bromegrass (genus Bromus)
• carpet grass (Axonopus fissifolius)
• cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica)
• common reed (genus Phragmites)
• cordgrass (genus Spartina)
• crabgrass (genus Digitaria)
• curly mesquite (genus Hilaria)
• esparto (Lygeum spartum and Stipa tenacissima)
• fescue (genus Festuca)
• fonio (Digitaria iburua and D. exilis)
• foxtail (genera Alopecurus and Setaria)
• giant reed (Arundo donax)
• goatgrass (genus Aegilops)
• goldentop (Lamarckia aurea)
• grama grass (genus Bouteloua)

  • buffalo grass (B. datyloides)
• hare’s-tail grass (Lagurus ovatus)
• Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
• Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi)
• love grass (genus Eragrostis)
• millet (various genera and species)
• genus Miscanthus
• muhly (genus Muhlenbergia)
• natal grass (Melinis repens)
• needlegrass (genus Stipa)

  • esparto (S. tenacissima)
• oat grass (genera Arrhenatherum and Danthonia)
• oil grass (genus Cymbopogon)
• orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata)
• pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• genus Panicum
• genus Paspalum
• genus Pennisetum
• plume grass (genus Erianthus)
• quackgrass (Elymus repens)
• quaking grass (genus Briza)
• rice (Oryza sativa)
• rye (Secale cereale)
• ryegrass (genus Lolium)
• sandbur (genus Cenchrus)
• genus Sorghum

  • broomcorn (S. vulgare)
• genus Stenotaphrum

  • Saint Augustine grass (S. secundatum)
• sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
• sweet vernal grass (genus Anthoxanthum)
• teff (Eragrostis tef)
• timothy (Phleum pratense)
• triticale (× Triticosecale)
• velvet grass (Holcus lanatus)
• vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides)
• wheat (Triticum species)

  • durum wheat (T. durum)
  • emmer wheat (T. dicoccon)
  • spelt (T. spelta)
• wheatgrass (genus Agropyron)
• wild oat (genus Avena)

  • oats (A. sativa)
• wild rice (Zizania aquatica and Z. palustris)
• wild rye (genus Elymus)
• windmill grass (genus Chloris)
• genus Zea

  • corn (Z. mays)
  • teosinte (various species)
• genus Zoysia