grass - Plants called grass, Work with grass, Grass and society

A member of one of the largest flowering plant families, with over 9000 species distributed worldwide, including the Arctic and the Antarctic, where they are the only flowering plants to survive. They are monocotyledons, ranging from tiny annuals to perennials over 30 m/100 ft high. Most are herbaceous; a few are woody shrub- or tree-like in form; but all show great uniformity of structure. A typical grass has fibrous roots and hollow, cylindrical stems which branch at the base to form a tuft, and may also produce rhizomes or stolons, forming a turf. Long, narrow leaves grow singly from the nodes of the stem and have an upper part (the blade), and a lower part (the sheath), which fits around the stem like a sleeve. The junction of blade and sheath often bears a flap or ring of hairs (the ligule), which is diagnostically important. Unlike most other plants which have meristems at the tip of the shoot, those of grasses are at the base of the stem, at or even below ground level. This, together with the basal branching of the stems, is important, allowing the plant to withstand damage to the aerial parts by cutting, grazing, or trampling, with little adverse effect on further growth. Grasses are wind-pollinated, and have specialized and very reduced flowers. The stamens and ovary are enclosed in a series of small bracts or scales, together forming a spikelet. The spikelets are arranged in inflorescences ranging from dense, cylindrical spikes to loose, spreading panicles. Grasses occur in every type of habitat, terrestrial and aquatic, including the sea, and especially in the vast, open prairies, savannah, and steppe, where their ability to survive grazing allows them to dominate other vegetation. They are the most important economic plant group. As well as providing forage for wild and domesticated animals in the form of grazing, hay, and silage, they include grain-bearing species (the cereals), which are staple foods for most of the world's population. They also provide sugar, materials for thatching, paper, mats, and even light timber. Minor products include aromatic oils and beads. They have an important role as soil stabilizers, and are used for lawns and verges. A few are ornamentals but, conversely, a number are tenacious weeds. (Family: Gramineae.)

Grass generally describes a monocotyledonous green plant in the family Poaceae, botanically regarded as true grasses. However, there are many plants outside the Poaceae family that have similar appearances to grass, with leaves rising vertically from the ground, and which are commonly called "grasses", or have "grass" as part of their name. By contrast, there are a number of plants in the family Poaceae, such as maize, bamboo, and sugarcane, which do not resemble plants that lay persons commonly think of as grasses.

Plants called grass

These include:

Cannabis (more commonly known as marijuana) China grass, more commonly known as Ramie (Boehmeria nivea), a nettle grown for bast fibres, in the family Urticaceae Ditch grass or Wigeon grass (Ruppia maritima) in the family Ruppiaceae Fish grass (Cabomba caroliniana), a freshwater aquatic Goosegrass (Galium aparine) Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) Mondo grass or Lily turf (Ophiopogon japonicus), an Asian ornamental ground cover Nutgrass, a common lawn pest (Cyperus rotundus) in the family Cyperaceae Pepper grass (Lipidium spp.) in the family Brassicaceae Sawgrass, abundant in sub-tropical marshlands (Cladium spp.) in the family Cyperaceae Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia species) in the family Brassicaceae Scurvy-grass Sorrel (Oxalis enneaphylla) in the family Oxalidaceae Seagrasses, including Eel grass (Zostera spp.) "Sleeping grass" (Mimosa pudica) a legume (family Fabaceae) and lawn weed Xyridaceae, known as the yellow-eyed grass family.

Grasses and grass-like plants are among the most versatile of life forms, thriving on every continent except Antarctica.

Work with grass

The typical old method to prepare the dried grass for feeding animals during winter (preparing hay) includes

Cutting with scythe.

Grass and society

Grasses and grass-like plants have long had significance in human society, having been cultivated as food sources for domesticated animals for up to 10,000 years (see grass fed beef), and has been used to make paper since at least as early as 2400 B.C.. For example:

"The grass is always greener on the other side" "Don't let the grass grow under your feet" references the speed with which grass grows.