Botany of Grasses: Shoots and Roots

Grasses belong to family Gramineae, also known as ______

Grasses are made up of two main parts: shoot or tillers and ______

Grasses are herbaceous, meaning they are ______

Grasses can be annual or ______ in life form

Internodes of grass stems can be hollow, filled with white pith, or ______

The stems of grasses are cylindrical or ______

Shoots develop from buds found at the ______

The basal portion of tufted grasses is called ______

Stolons are creeping stems that grow above the surface of the ground and develop ______ at the nodes

Leaves of grasses consist of the sheath, ligule, and the ______

Grasses Overview

Grasses belong to the family Gramineae, also recognized as Poaceae.
Grasses consist of two main parts: the shoot or tillers and the roots.
As herbaceous plants, grasses have non-woody stems that die back at the end of the growing season.
Grasses can be either annual, completing their life cycle within a year, or perennial, living for multiple years.

Structural Characteristics

Internodes of grass stems may be hollow, filled with white pith, or solid.
Grass stems typically have a cylindrical shape, allowing for flexibility and resilience.
Shoots develop from buds located at the base of the grass, known as the crown.

Specific Growth Forms

The basal portion of tufted grasses is referred to as the crown, where shoots originate.
Stolons are horizontal, creeping stems that grow above ground and produce roots at their nodes, facilitating vegetative reproduction.

Leaf Structure

Grasses possess distinct leaf structures, which include the sheath that encircles the stem, the ligule that is a small outgrowth at the junction of the leaf blade and sheath, and the leaf blade itself.

Learn about the botany of grasses, including their aerial parts (stems and leaves) and subterranean parts (roots). Explore how grasses are monocotyledonous, herbaceous, and can be annual or perennial in life form.