Poaceae

=Family description=
 * Herbs** with underground rhizomes, but sometimes large and woody (bamboos), with jointed, often hollow stems.
 * Leaves** often in two rows, simple, entire, consisting of an elongate sheath and a linear blade with a 'ligule' at the base, venation parallel.
 * Flowers** uni- or bi-sexual with flower-base (perianth) reduced to bristles or scales, each subtended by a pair of bracts
 * Fruit** an achene.

=General info=
 * Distribution** Pan-tropical. More than 10,000 species.
 * Ecology** On open, light rich places, usually with heavy grazing. Often spreading by vegetative propagation. Bamboos can dominate large areas of disturbed vegetation.
 * Uses** Food (rice, corn, wheat, sugar, vegetables), building materials (bamboos), medicine, spices, ornamentals.
 * Similar to** Cyperaceae, but these don't have jointed stems, stems are usually solid and triangular, leaves have no ligule and are placed in three rows.

=Treated genera=
 * Bambusoideae
 * Oryza

Monocots.pdf