The Andropogoneae, sometimes called the sorghum tribe, are a large tribe of grasses (family Poaceae) with roughly 1,200 species in 90 genera, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. They include such important crops as maize (corn), sugarcane, and sorghum. All species in this tribe use C4 carbon fixation, which makes them competitive under warm, high-light conditions.
Chloridoideae is one of the largest subfamilies of grasses, with roughly 150 genera and 1,600 species, mainly found in arid tropical or subtropical grasslands. Within the PACMAD clade, their sister group is the Danthonioideae. The subfamily includes widespread weeds such as Bermuda grass or goosegrass, but also millet species grown in some tropical regions, namely finger millet and teff.
Centotheceae is a small tribe of grasses with six species in two genera, distributed in Africa and Asia. It belongs to a basal lineage in subfamily Panicoideae, sometimes referred to as "centothecoid clade". Unlike many other clades in the subfamily Panicoideae, they use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
Lecomtella is a genus of grasses with the sole species Lecomtella madagascariensis, native to Madagascar. It is the only genus in the tribe Lecomtelleae.
The BOP clade (sometimes BEP clade) is one of two major lineages (or clades) of undefined taxonomic rank in the grasses (Poaceae), containing more than 5,400 species, about half of all grasses. Its sister group is the PACMAD clade; contrary to many species of that group who have evolved C4 photosynthesis, the BOP grasses all use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
The Aristideae is the sole tribe of grasses in the monotypic subfamily Aristidoideae of the true grass family Poaceae. Its members are herbaceous annuals or perennials found in the tropics, subtropics and temperate zones. The tribe has over 300 species in three genera: The subfamily is a member of the PACMAD clade of grasses, the evolutionary group in which C4 photosynthesis independently evolved a number of times.
Oryzoideae (syn. Ehrhartoideae) is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae. It has around 120 species in 19 genera, notably including the major cereal crop rice. Within the grasses, this subfamily is one of three belonging to the species-rich BOP clade, which all use C3 photosynthesis; it is the basal lineage of the clade.
The Puelioideae is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae with two genera, Guaduella and Puelia, each in its own tribe. Its members grow in the understory of rainforests.
Anomochlooideae is a subfamily of the true grass family Poaceae. It is sister to all the other grasses. It includes perennial herbs that grow on the shaded floor of forests in the Neotropics. There are two genera, Anomochloa and Streptochaeta, each in its own tribe.
Danthonioideae is a mainly southern hemisphere subfamily of grasses, containing the single tribe Danthonieae and one unplaced genus, with altogether roughly 300 species. It includes herbaceous to partially woody perennial or annual (less common) grasses that grow in open grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands. It belongs to the PACMAD clade of grasses, but unlike some other lineages in that clade, grasses in the Danthonioideae exclusively use the C3 photosynthetic pathway. Its sister group is the subfamily Chloridoideae.
The PACMAD clade (previously PACCMAD, PACCAD, or PACC) is one of two major lineages (or clades) of the true grasses (Poaceae), regrouping six subfamilies and about 5700 species, more than half of all true grasses. Its sister group is the BOP clade. The PACMAD lineage is the only group within the grasses in which the C4 photosynthesis pathway has evolved; studies have shown that this happened independently multiple times.
Paniceae is a large tribe of the subfamily Panicoideae in the grasses (Poaceae), the only in the monotypic supertribe Panicodae. It includes roughly 1,500 species in 84 genera, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Paniceae includes species using either of the C4 and C3 photosynthetic pathways, as well as presumably intermediate species. Most of the millets are members of tribe Paniceae.
Micrairoideae is a subfamily of the grass family Poaceae, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Within the PACMAD clade, it is sister to subfamily Arundinoideae.
Paspaleae is a tribe of the Panicoideae subfamily in the grasses (Poaceae), native mainly to the tropical and subtropical Americas but with a number of species introduced to other regions. It includes roughly 680 species in 39 genera. Species in this tribe use either of the C3 or C4 photosynthetic pathways.
Steyermarkochloeae is a tribe of the Panicoideae subfamily in the grasses (Poaceae), native to tropical South America. There are only two species in two genera, Arundoclaytonia and Steyermarkochloa. The tribe probably belongs to a basal lineage within the subfamily. Species in this tribe use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
Tristachyideae is a tribe of the Panicoideae subfamily in the grasses (Poaceae), native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and South America. There are around 70 species in eight genera. The tribe belongs to a basal lineage within the subfamily, and its genera were previously placed in tribes Arundinelleae or Paniceae, subfamily Arundinoideae, or the now-obsolete subfamily Centothecoideae. Species in this tribe use the C4 photosynthetic pathway.
Zeugiteae is a tribe of the subfamily Panicoideae in the grasses (Poaceae), native to Africa, Asia, Australasia, South and Central America. There are 18 species in four genera. The tribe belongs to a basal lineage within the subfamily. Species in this tribe use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
Chasmanthieae is a small tribe of grasses in the subfamily Panicoideae. It belongs to a basal lineage within the subfamily and has only seven species in two genera, Bromuniola with one species in Africa and Chasmanthium from North America. They all use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
Cyperochloeae is a small tribe of grasses in the Panicoideae subfamily, found in Australia. It belongs to a basal lineage within the subfamily and has only two species in two monotypic genera, Cyperochloa and Spartochloa. They use the C3 photosynthetic pathway.
Rottboellia cochinchinensis is a species of grass known by the common names Itchgrass,Raoul grass, corngrass, Kokoma grass, Guinea-fowl grass, jointed grass, Shamwa grass and Kelly grass. It is a tall, tufted annual grass whose stems (culms) grow up to 3 metres in height with leaf-blades of up to 45 centimetres in length. The species flowers at the apex of culms in the form of spike-like racemes composed of paired spikelets. The common name Itchgrass comes from the bristly (hispid) leaf-sheath which can be irritating to the skin.
