Family Poaceae inflorescence and fruit. Cereals. List of cultivated, weed and herbaceous plants

Gramineae), a family of flowering monocotyledons. Perennial or annual herbs with a fibrous root system, rarely tree-like or shrub-like plants with woody stems (bamboo), as well as climbing vines, sometimes bearing thorns. The stems of herbaceous cereals are cylindrical (straws), divided by swollen nodes into usually hollow internodes, with multiple branching shortened vegetative shoots at the base. This method of branching of cereals (tillering) determines their high resistance to mowing and biting shoots by herbivores. The leaves are alternate, entire, often linear, usually sessile (without petioles), arranged in two rows on the stems; at the base they pass into leaf sheaths enveloping the stem. At the junction of the vagina and the leaf blade there is a membranous outgrowth - a tongue, sometimes represented only by a row of hairs. The flowers are small, with a reduced perianth, usually with 3 (less often 1-6) stamens with long filaments and anthers hanging on them, bisexual or unisexual (sometimes the plants are dioecious), wind-pollinated; collected in elementary inflorescences - spikelets, which form common inflorescences - panicles, brushes, ears or heads. In a multi-flowered spikelet there are from 1 to 20 or more flowers, located on the axis of the spikelet in two rows in the axils of the bracts - the lower flower scales, which often bear straight, sinuous or geniculate appendages - awns (for example, in rye or oats); The 2 lowermost scales do not have flowers and are called spikelet scales; the double-keeled scales, located at each flower on the side of the spikelet axis, are called the upper floral scales. The fruit is a grain (in some bamboos it can be berry- or nut-shaped), commonly called grain. In some cereals (for example, barley), the fruit falls off along with the flower scales, in others (wheat, rye) it falls naked, that is, without flower scales. Seed with a straight embryo and abundant endosperm.

Poaceae are one of the largest flowering families; about 900 genera, 10 thousand species around the globe; in the flora of Russia they are represented by 162 genera and approximately 1000 species. In terms of the number of species, they occupy fourth place after Asteraceae, orchids and legumes. Cereals are common both in the warm temperate zone and in the tropics and subtropics. In the Arctic and many highlands they take first place among other flowering families. In moderately warm and cold regions of both hemispheres, species of the subfamily Poaideae from the genera Poa, fescue, bentgrass, reed grass, bromegrass and many others predominate; in the tropics - species of the subfamilies Panicoideae from the genus Millet and Chloridoideae from the genus Polargrass. (Eragrostis), mainly in the tropics and subtropics - representatives of the bamboo subfamily. Species of the rice subfamily (Oryzoideae) are coastal or aquatic plants.

Grasses are dominant in herbaceous vegetation groups - various types of meadows, steppes and prairies; For the steppes of Eurasia, for example, fescue (Festuca valesiaca) and many species of feather grass are especially characteristic. Cereals include the main food plants: wheat, rice and corn, as well as rye, barley, oats, millet, types of sorghum, chumise, etc. Sugar cane is one of the main sources of table sugar. In Southeast Asian countries, young bamboo shoots are widely used for food. Grasses are the main components of natural pastures and hayfields, and many of them (for example, timothy grass, hedgehog grass, meadow fescue, meadow foxtail) have long been cultivated in sown meadows. Due to the fact that cereals grow well on sandy soil and loose soil, they are used to consolidate loose sand and artificial embankments. The stems of bamboos and reeds (including the giant reed, Arundo donax) are used as building materials and (like the straw of other cereals) for the production of paper. Grasses include lawn and ornamental plants [for example, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenpe) and “pampas grass” (Cortaderia selloana)]. In medicine, columns with stigmas of corn flowers are used as a medicine (choleretic effect). False bead fruits (Coix lacryma jobi) are used as decorations. Couch grass (Elytrigia repens), wild oats (Avenu fatua), intoxicating chaff (Lolium temulentum) and many others are malicious weeds of fields and plantations of various crops.

Lit.: Tsvelev N. N. Cereals of the USSR. L., 1976; aka. Family of cereals (Poaceae) // Plant life. M., 1982. T. 6; aka. The system of cereals (Poaceae) and their evolution // Komarovskie readings. L., 1987. Issue. 37; Clayton W.D., Renvoize S.A. Genera graminum: grasses of the world. L., 1986; Soreng R. J., Davis J. I. Phylogenetics and character evolution in the grassfamily (Poaceae) // Botanical Review. 1998. Vol. 64. No. 1; Phylogeny and subfamilial classification of the Grasses (Poaceae) // Annals of the Missouri botanical garden. 2001. Vol. 88. No. Z.

Cereals are not only well-known agricultural crops. There are those that grow freely and are of no benefit to humans, as well as species used for design.

Description of cereal crops and their importance for humans

The fruit of cereal plants is a monocotyledonous grain seed fused with a shell. The leaves are long, with parallel veins, narrow, two rows. The stem is hollow and thin. Usually long. Inflorescences are paniculate, spikelet or racemose.

The importance of cereal plants is great; it was from them, even in ancient times, that people learned to make bread and porridge. At first, bluegrass (the second name for the cereal family) was not given much attention until they realized that their fruits could be ground into dust, that is, into flour. Dough was made from flour, and cakes were baked from the dough, since today's loaves and long loaves did not yet exist. Later, cereals began to have not only nutritional, but also medical significance due to the beneficial substances they contain. In addition to cultivated plants that benefit humans, there are weeds that are harmful to agriculture, as well as perennial cereal grasses that are completely harmless.

Cultivated cereals

Over time, people realized that not all grains are edible and suitable for cooking. They were looking only for those whose grains made tasty food. That is, cultivated cereals were needed. The person also realized that it is not necessary to collect something somewhere.

Look for suitable plants, walk around every time and find out where they grow and in what quantity. Then take the seeds, take them home, and so on in a circle. After all, you can start growing cereal plants not far from your own home. Plant the fruits, water them and wait for them to sprout, grow into plants and ripen.

New fruits were collected, some were left for grinding, and some were left for the next sowing. This is how agriculture developed. New varieties of cereals were developed, which should be resistant to droughts and other negative influences. Breeders took into account the flower formula of cereals in order to predict the genetic structure of new plants and create a similar formula.

The modified individuals were subjected to thorough research. The main goal of breeders is to create perfect varieties. These plants must be absolutely resistant to drought, weeds and other adverse influences. Each variety has its own name.

List of cultivated, weed and herbaceous plants

Bluegrass is divided into three main categories: grains, weeds and grasses. Some species are used for decoration.

The lists do not represent all representatives, but several well-known cultivated, weed and herbaceous species. In fact, there are many more of them.

Cereals:

  • millet;
  • oats;
  • barley;
  • corn;
  • rye;
  • wheat.
  • creeping wheatgrass;
  • chicken millet;
  • rye fire;
  • annual bluegrass.
  • feather grass;
  • grate;

All cereal grasses that grow freely in meadows should not be called weeds. They are the main food for livestock and poultry.

Photos and names of cereal grains

Cultivated cereals are specially grown for use as a food product. In my food I use whole and crushed grains, flour and baked goods made from it.

Millet

Millet is a plant that tolerates heat and drought well. Common millet is valuable; it is from its seeds that millet is obtained. Homeland - Southeast Asia. It is grown everywhere, including on saline soils. High acidity is the only weakness of millet; it cannot tolerate it and dies. The grains are used to prepare porridges, soups, and also as feed for poultry.

Oats

An annual plant that is widely used in agriculture. It is resistant to negative environmental conditions and can be grown on lands where it is quite cold. Originally from some provinces of Eastern China and Mongolia. Previously, it was perceived by farmers as a weed, but its feeding properties refuted this opinion. Later they learned to make various pastries from it, and the Germans brewed so-called white beer. It can be filmy or bare-grained. The latter is less common than the former and requires a lot of moisture.

Barley

One of the most important cereal crops, developed relatively recently, about seventeen thousand years ago. Residents of the Middle East were among the first to notice its benefits. Bread made from barley flour is heavier and coarser than wheat, but it is still considered a healthier product. The plant is single-flowered and self-pollinating. Nowadays, barley is grown for both feed and food needs. Beer made from barley is also common among connoisseurs of this product.

Corn

Also called maize or sweet corn. Used for feed and food needs. Of the entire genus, this is the only representative of cultivated cereals. It differs from other species of the entire family in its large cob with yellow seeds. Country of origin: Mexico.

It ranks second in sales after wheat. It is used to make corn starch, canned food and even medicines.

Rice

An annual herbaceous plant. Requires special attention, the plant is capricious and needs a lot of moisture. It is grown in Asian countries, but some types of rice are grown in African countries. Rice fields are made so that they can be flooded with water (protection from sunlight) while the plant matures, but then drained for harvest. Cereals and starch are produced from grains. If the grains are germ, then they are perfect for making rice oil.

Alcohol and medicines are made from rice. Rice straw is used to make paper, and the husks are used to make feed bran.

Rye

Nowadays, winter rye is mainly used for sowing, since it is more resistant to unfavorable conditions. An unpretentious plant, unlike wheat, rye is not particularly sensitive to soil acidity. The best soil for growing is black soil. Used for the production of flour, kvass and starch. Rye easily suppresses weeds, which greatly facilitates the fight against factors harmful to cultivation. The plant is biennial and annual. Most popular in Germany.

Wheat

This grain crop is in first place in cultivation and sale. High-quality bread is baked from wheat flour, confectionery and pasta are produced. Wheat is also used in the production of beer and other alcoholic beverages. It is grown on almost all lands, except for areas belonging to the tropical zone. Includes about ten species.

Many people believe that yellow spikelets with long whiskers are wheat. However, this is not true. Wheat has grayish spikelets, fewer grains, and short whiskers.

Photos and names of weeds

A person has to fight against weed cereals. Many of these plants are used as animal feed.

Creeping wheatgrass

Easily displaces cultivated plants. Very tenacious, capable of drawing juices from the ground that other species need. The roots are powerful, more powerful than those of cultivated representatives. Does very well in moist, fertile soil.

Chicken millet

Chicken millet or barnyard grass. It bears this name due to the fact that this plant is very similar to its cultivated relatives. It is distinguished by its large size and large leaves, which require a lot of nutrients. Naturally, it is forced to rob other plants and take everything for itself.

Rosichka

Crabgrass, especially crabgrass, has the same ability to survive as other weeds. Can exist on acidic soils. It has a lot of seeds in its paniculate spikelets. For them to germinate, only two degrees of heat is enough.

Rye fire

Can easily be confused with rye, but survival rate is slightly higher. Drought resistant. Lives in rye fields. When its seeds are mixed during collection with the seeds of a cultivated relative, the quality of the harvest decreases.

Gumai

It also has another name - Aleppo sorghum. It is one of the most dangerous plants and poses a serious threat to cereal crops. It survives droughts well, but despite this, sorghum is very demanding of moist and fertile soil. It has a powerful rhizome for constant consumption of nutrients.

Chaff multicolor

Affects legumes and cereals. The chaff is spread everywhere. Survives well in adverse conditions. The plant is strong and can reach one meter in height. Prefers nitrogenous soils.

Bluegrass annual

Another representative of cereal weeds that harm agriculture. It grows in fields, mainly where grain crops are cultivated. Annual bluegrass is resistant to negative influences. This annual plant is widespread in Central Asia, Western Siberia, and also in the Caucasus.

Photos and names of cereal herbs

Cereal herbs can become a decoration for our summer cottages if we learn how to use them correctly.

Quaking grass

It grows mainly in the meadows of Europe. It resembles a bush with panicles of flattened spikelets. Loves sun rays and moderate moisture. Excellent as food for cattle and.

Perlovnik

So called because its seeds are very similar to pearl barley. The plant is a perennial, growing in forests and sometimes in steppes. Often found along the shores of lakes and swamps. Includes several varieties.

Feather grass

Lives in European steppes and meadows. It has a long thin spikelet, which from a distance resembles a light gray thread. Very suitable as feed for farm animals. It needs sunny, neutral soils. Pollinates on its own.

Kolosnyak

Grows in the southern parts of Europe. It has a long root as it grows on sandy soils. The plant is massive, with long thick spikelets. The color of the leaves is blue-green.

Molinia

Large perennial plant. It is found in forests, swamps, as well as along the banks of rivers and lakes. It looks like a bush with straight leaves. The spikelets are paniculate, large, dark purple in color. It grows in the European part of the continent, in sunny areas or surfaces with moderate shade. Often used as an ornamental plant.

The most significant family for humanity is the Cereals, which includes grain crops used for food. The family is distributed on all continents, including Antarctica (annual bluegrass and Antarctic meadow grass).

Description

Cereals, Poaceae or Poaceae are angiosperms belonging to the class Monocots. In nature there are a variety of life forms - perennial and annual herbs, shrubs, trees. Includes more than 11 thousand species.

A distinctive feature of Cereals is the presence of dense nodes and a vagina that completely protects the delicate internode. The space between the stem and the sheath is protected from the penetration of water by a tongue - a thin film extending from the border between the leaf blade and the sheath.

Rice. 1. Leaf sheath in cereals.

Morphology

Cereals are erect plants with elongated leaves and hollow stems.
General characteristics of the structure of cereal plants are presented in the table.

Plant organs

Description

Root system

fibrous

Vegetative or generative. Growth occurs due to cell division in internodes (intercalary growth). Between the nodes the stem is hollow (straw). Exceptions include corn, some bamboo plants, and sugarcane. Branch from the corner of the main shoot (tillering zone)

Narrow, linear, parallel veined, divided along the main vein. Leaf arrangement is regular. The open vagina of the leaf covers the stem extending from the node

Irregular, small, bisexual, in rare cases unisexual (corn). The perianth is simple. It has upper and lower flower scales, and under them there are two flower films. Most often, a pistil with a short style and two feathery stigmas surrounds three stamens. One, two, or six stamens are rarely found. Flower formula - O(2)+2T3P1

The fruit of the Cereal family is a dry, grain with a large amount of endosperm, to which the embryo is adjacent. Often the pericarp fits tightly to the seed and adheres to the spermoderm

Rice. 2. The structure of the Cereal flower.

Flowers of the Poaceae family are pollinated independently or with the help of the wind. Cereals are characterized by several types of inflorescences:

  • brush;
  • simple and complex ear;
  • panicle;
  • sultan (spike-shaped panicle);
  • cob.

Rice. 3. Inflorescence of cereals.

In corn, on the same plant, female flowers are located on the cobs, and male flowers are located in panicles.

Meaning

Cereal crops are of great importance to humans. Cereals contain vegetable protein and starch and are the basis of the diet of most people on the planet. Grains are ground into flour and bread is baked from it, porridge is cooked from cereals, and puddings are prepared. 100 g of wheat contains 339 kcal. The main food crops are:

TOP 4 articleswho are reading along with this

  • wheat (couscous, bulgur, semolina);
  • corn;
  • buckwheat;
  • sugar cane;
  • barley;
  • rye;
  • millet.

Cereals are grains that have been peeled and prepared for consumption. To prepare a certain type of cereal, grains are crushed, fried, pressed, ground, and steamed. Flakes are one of the varieties of cereals.

65% of the world's sugar is made from sugar cane. The main suppliers of cane sugar are Brazil and India.

Wild grain plants are used as feed for domestic animals and grazing (timothy, bluegrass, wheatgrass, oats). Building materials, paper, and fabric are made from some types of cereals. Furniture, mats, dishes, and bridges are made from bamboo. Young bamboo shoots are eaten.

What have we learned?

From an article on biology for grade 6 about the Cereal family, we learned about the structure, diversity and use of cereal crops. We learned that most of the cereal crops are eaten. Learned the flower formula of cereal plants.

Test on the topic

Evaluation of the report

Average rating: 4.5. Total ratings received: 228.

Everyone knows what cereals are. After all, man began to grow these plants more than 10 thousand years ago. That’s why even now the names of cereals such as wheat, rye, barley, rice, corn and many others are on everyone’s lips. In terms of area under crops, they have long been a leader. From our article you will learn about the structural features and economic importance of these plants.

Class Monocots

The family Poaceae, or Poagrass, has many common characteristics with Liliaceae and Alliumceae. The fact is that they are all representatives of the Monocot class. By what characteristics can such plants be distinguished? Their embryo consists of one cotyledon. The main root of monocots dies early. But the side ones are forming. They form a fibrous root system.

The root and stem lack lateral educational tissue called cambium. Therefore, the growth of these organs in thickness is limited. Most monocots are herbaceous plants. Their leaves have parallel or reticulate veins.

Biological characteristics of the Cereals family

The “calling card” of these plants is the stem, which is called a straw. In most cereals, it is hollow in the internodes. Only in sugar cane and corn is it filled with loose connective tissue, which performs a storage function. Straw is characterized by intercalary growth.

How else can you answer the question, what are cereals? These are mostly perennial plants, although there are exceptions among them. Thus, millet and bent grass form seeds already in the first year after flowering. The root system of all cereals is fibrous. It grows in a powerful bunch straight from the stem.

The leaves also have a special structure. They are simple, sessile, elongated, with parallel veins. Their long tubular vagina encloses the stem.

Fruits and seeds

Cereal flowers are very small. Each of them has one pistil and three stamens. The perianth is simple. It is represented by two scales and films. In some species, such structures are barely noticeable and are therefore collected in inflorescences. In wheat, rye, wheatgrass and barley, this is a complex ear. The flowers of rice, millet, corn and oats are formed into a panicle.

Among the cereals there are self- and wind-pollinated species. As a result of flowering, a dry multi-seeded fruit is formed - a caryopsis.

Economic aspect

Most types of cereals belong to grain crops. These are wheat, rye, oats, rice. Flour, pasta and bakery products are obtained from the grains and used as animal feed. Nutritious oil is obtained from corn seeds.

Bamboo, which grows in tropical countries, is used as a construction and finishing material.

Meadow grasses are used to feed domestic animals, both fresh and dried. The powerful root system determines the use of these plants to consolidate sand and prevent soil collapse.

Weed species of cereals

But wheatgrass, wild oats and bristle grass have earned a completely different reputation. These are nasty weeds that can be very difficult to get rid of. Such cereal plants form shoot modifications called rhizomes. They consist of highly elongated internodes. Such organs develop underground, and only the leaves are visible from the outside. Water with a solution of minerals accumulates in the rhizome. Therefore, weeds survive in conditions of drought and temperature changes.

Wheat

When it comes to cereal plants, it is simply impossible not to remember this species. Wheat, which occupies a leading position among grain crops in many countries, is annual. Therefore, its crops must be renewed annually.

Wheat is a herbaceous plant with erect stems bearing linear or flat leaves. The surface of the latter can be smooth or rough. Single ear of wheat. On its main axis there are two rows of sessile flowers, which are closely adjacent. The uppermost one is usually underdeveloped.

According to various sources, the birthplace of wheat is Armenia or Türkiye. This is one of the first domesticated cereals. Wild species of this plant have a significant disadvantage. Their grains fall out of the ear before they ripen. Therefore, its evolution followed the path of increasing resistance to shedding.

Wheat is now the leader not only in terms of area planted on the planet, but also in the number of varieties. They differ in the shape of the stem, the size and chemical composition of the grains. For example, spelled has brittle straw and grains, which are quite difficult to separate from the films.

Wheat grains contain a large amount of carbohydrates - up to 70%. These are starch, monosaccharides and dietary fiber.

Rye

It is a typical cereal of the northern hemisphere. Like wheat, rye can be spring or winter. Flour, starch, rye kvass, and raw materials for the production of alcohol are obtained from its grains. In agriculture it is used as green manure. This is the name given to plants that suppress weeds, improve soil aeration, and enrich it with nitrogen. This is especially true for loams. With the help of rye roots, it loosens and increases porosity.

This plant is also a forage crop. Its stems are used as livestock feed. And thatch is known as one of the cheapest roofing materials.

Sugar cane

When we talk about what cereals are, we should definitely talk about this plant. It is cultivated in the tropics of Eurasia and South America. Despite this, the product that is obtained from it is known to everyone. This is sugar.

This type of cane is a perennial grass. Its rhizome grows quickly and takes hold in the soil. The shoot height reaches 6 meters. The stems are cylindrical in shape, and the leaves visually resemble corn leaves. The panicle inflorescence develops at the top of the shoot. Sugarcane propagates vegetatively using cuttings.

Rice

This cereal is the oldest cultivated by man. Initially it was grown only in the East. Here people have found use for all parts of this plant. Food and drinks were prepared from the seeds, and paper was made from dry shoots. Even rice husks are used as fertilizer or used as animal feed. Today rice is popular all over the world.

There are many varieties of rice based on the shape of the grains and processing methods. For example, brown rice is a product of husking, while white rice is obtained by grinding. The first one is more useful because it contains bran with a significant supply of dietary fiber. Steamed rice cooks the fastest. Its grains do not stick together and have a beautiful brown tint. This product is obtained by processing with hot steam.

Rice differs in the shape of the grains. The longest reaches 6 mm. This is the most popular variety for making pilaf. It is better to add medium grain rice to porridges and soups. Well, lovers of risotto and casseroles use round grains with a length of up to 5 mm.

The valuable nutritional qualities of rice are explained by the high content of polysaccharides, proteins, and B vitamins in its cereal. The mineral composition is also impressive: sodium, potassium, iodine, iron, selenium.

Corn

This is another plant that competes for the title of the oldest of cereals. Corn is an annual herbaceous crop. It is represented by cultivated, forage and wild species.

Corn is a fairly tall plant. Often its shoots grow up to 3 meters. The stem does not have a cavity inside. Among the oblong lanceolate species, fruits - cobs - are clearly visible. On the outside they are covered with a series of leaf-shaped involucres. The fibrous root system of corn is powerful. It is capable of penetrating to a depth of more than a meter. But it cannot hold the massive above-ground part with heavy fruits. Therefore, corn often develops support roots. They hold the plant in the soil and additionally provide it with mineral solutions from it.

One ear can contain up to a thousand seeds. They have a round or cubic shape and are closely pressed together in vertical rows. Growing corn requires heat and moisture. The optimal temperature for this cereal is +20. These factors are limiting in its distribution areas.

So, in our article we looked at what cereals are. These are representatives of the Monocot class. These include herbaceous plants with a hollow stem called a culm. The root system is fibrous. Small flowers are collected in spikes or panicles.

Most cereals are valued as grain crops and are used in the food industry. Flour, cereals, and bakery products are obtained from wheat, rice, rye, barley, and corn. Forage species are used to feed livestock. A valuable food structure is sugar cane. There are also harmful weeds among cereals that harm agricultural crops.


Finished works

DEGREE WORKS

Much has already passed and now you are a graduate, if, of course, you write your thesis on time. But life is such a thing that only now it becomes clear to you that, having ceased to be a student, you will lose all the student joys, many of which you have never tried, putting everything off and putting it off until later. And now, instead of catching up, you're working on your thesis? There is an excellent solution: download the thesis you need from our website - and you will instantly have a lot of free time!
Theses have been successfully defended at leading universities of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Cost of work from 20,000 tenge

COURSE WORKS

The course project is the first serious practical work. It is with the writing of coursework that preparation for the development of diploma projects begins. If a student learns to correctly present the content of a topic in a course project and format it competently, then in the future he will not have any problems with writing reports, or composing theses, or performing other practical tasks. In order to assist students in writing this type of student work and to clarify questions that arise during its preparation, in fact, this information section was created.
Cost of work from 2,500 tenge

MASTER'S DISSERTATIONS

Currently, in higher educational institutions of Kazakhstan and the CIS countries, the level of higher professional education that follows after bachelor's degree is very common - master's degree. In the master's program, students study with the aim of obtaining a master's degree, which is recognized in most countries of the world more than a bachelor's degree, and is also recognized by foreign employers. The result of master's studies is the defense of a master's thesis.
We will provide you with up-to-date analytical and textual material; the price includes 2 scientific articles and an abstract.
Cost of work from 35,000 tenge

PRACTICE REPORTS

After completing any type of student internship (educational, industrial, pre-graduation), a report is required. This document will be confirmation of the student’s practical work and the basis for forming an assessment for practice. Usually, in order to draw up a report on an internship, you need to collect and analyze information about the enterprise, consider the structure and work routine of the organization in which the internship is taking place, draw up a calendar plan and describe your practical activities.
We will help you write a report on your internship, taking into account the specifics of the activities of a particular enterprise.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.