Announcements
Final Exam:
Monday, May 9
(10:10-12:10)
Open lab next week:
Tues. & Thurs.
11-1, HS 204
Robert Wiltzen
Announcements
Final Exam: Monday,
May 9 (10:10-12:10)
Open lab next week:
T/Th 11-1
Robert Wiltzen
Graminoid (grass-like) monocots
Poaceae (Grass family)
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Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Juncaceae (Rush family)
Poaceae -- Grass Family
Fruit type
caryopsis (grain)
similar to achene but ovary wall is fused to seed
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Poaceae -- Grass Family
In Montana
2nd largest family: 64 genera, 243 species
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Agropyron spicatum -- Bluebunch Wheatgrass
also called Elymus spicatum and Pseudoroegneria spicata
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Agropyron/Elymus -- Wheatgrass
- spikelets held close to stem
- spikelets spaced out along spike
- ligule and auricles obvious
- stems clearly jointed
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Festuca -- Fescue
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Festuca -- Fescue
- thread-like (rolled) leaves
- loose panicle of spikelets
- no auricles
- stem joints not apparent
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Commelinoid (Graminoid) monocot families
Poaceae (Grass family)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Juncaceae (Rush family)
Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Worldwide
Widespread, mostly temperate and/or montane
~100 genera, 4500 species
Cyperus
papyrus
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
In Montana
3rd largest family
9 genera, 175 species (>140 in 1 genus - Carex!)
Carex utriculata
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Habitat
dominant in wetlands, moist alpine areas, and tundra
also in drier areas, both woods and grasslands
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
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Habit
perennial herbs w/ corms or other underground storage
Eleocharis - Water Chestnut
Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Leaves/stems
stems triangular => “sedges have edges”
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Leaves
leaves 3-ranked
leaf sheath closed
sedge
grass
Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Inflorescences
various arrangements of spikelets/spikes
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Spikelets/spikes
no glumes, often subtended by 1 large (leafy) bract
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Flowers
may be perfect (bisexual) or imperfect (unisexual)
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M
M & F
F
Carex
Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Flower => each flower subtended by a bract
Perianth
lacking or reduced to bristly scales
Stamens
3
Gynoecium
1 superior ovary
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Cyperaceae - Sedge family
Fruit
achene
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Sedges in Montana
Cyperus -- Galingale
Sedges in Montana
Eleocharis -- Spikerush
Sedges in Montana
Scirpus -- Bulrush
Carex - Sedges
- 140 species in Montana!!
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- vegetative characters typical
- diverse inflorescences
- flowers unisexual (male OR female)
Carex - Sedges
ovary surrounded by a special bract => perigynium
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Juncaceae - Rush family
Worldwide
Widespread, mostly temperate and/or montane
~100 genera, 400 species
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Juncaceae - Rush family
In Montana
2 genera, ~35 species
Habitat
Wetlands, often in standing water (Juncus)
Moist or dry alpine areas (Luzula and Juncus)
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Juncaceae - Rush family
Stems
round and solid (never hollow and jointed like grasses)
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Leaves
round OR grasslike
Luzula
Juncaceae - Rush family
Flowers
perfect (bisexual), radially symmetric
Tepals
6, somewhat showy
Stamens
6
Gynoecium
3 fused carpels
superior ovary
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Juncaceae - Rush family
Fruit
capsule
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Graminoid monocot families
Cyperaceae - sedges
triangular solid stems (usually)
spikelets
florets with 1 bract
Juncaceae - rushes
round, solid stems
flowers with 6 tepals and 6 stamens
Poaceae - grasses
round, jointed hollow stems
spikelets with glumes
florets with 2 bracts - lemma & palea (no tepals)
3 stamens, 2 carpels
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