What do these have in common?CornBarleyBulgur wheatOatsPopcornRiceRyeWheatWild rice

Durum wheatSemolina wheatSorghumSpeltTeffTriticaleFonioKamutMillet

Grasses• Have been grown as food for domesticated

animals for up to 6,000 years. • Have been used for paper-making since 2400

BC or before. • Provide the majority of food crops, and have

many other uses, such as feeding animals, and for lawns.

• There are many minor uses (e.g., bamboo is a grass, so all bamboo products fit here).

• Grasses are familiar to most human cultures.

GrassesBecame widespread in the late Cretaceous

But how do we know?

Coprolite

Coprolites

Grasses

• have several main roots of the same size.• leaves make a big part of grass plants,, • most grasses have short stems covered

by leaf bases.. • grasses are efficient in photosynthesis

Grasses and…

• How are they alike and different?

Grasses and…

• How are they alike and different?

Grasses and…

• How are they alike and different?

Grasses and…

• How are they alike and different?

Or, for the botanists…

Image from:http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_livestock/crops/rice/weed+control/parts+of+grass+spikelet.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae

Grass Family (family: Poaceae)http://www.getting-started-with-healthy-eating.com/list-of-grains.html

BarleyBulgur wheatCornDurum wheatFonioKamutMilletOatsPopcornRiceRyeSemolina wheatSorghumSpeltTeffTriticaleWheatWild rice

Gluten-Containing Grains• Barley

Bulgur wheatDurum wheatKamutOats (may contain a gluten analogue; usually contaminated by gluten in processing)Semolina wheatSpeltTriticaleWheat

Non-Grain Foods In The Grass Family• These foods come from other parts of

Grass Family plants.Bamboo shootsBarleygrassLemongrass (citronella)MolassesRapaduraSugarcaneWheatgrass

How do seeds start to grow?

• Dried beans• Soaked beans• Bromothymol Blue• Aquarium air pump (optional)

Grass Heads• http://www.yates.com.au/child/how-to/school-holiday-

project-growing-grass-heads/

• http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/grass-head-guys-673724/