thumb|alt=Inflorenscence of a grass with long awns on a white background|Culm of [[Bromus sterilis, showing typical grass morphology with blade-like leaves and inflorescence as spikelets organised in a panicle]]

Poaceae, also known as the true grasses, is the fifth largest plant family in the world with around 12,000 species and roughly 800 genera. They contain, among others, the cereal crop species and other plants of economic importance, such as the bamboos, and several important weeds.

Grasses probably originated in the understory of tropical rainforests in the Late Cretaceous, but have since come to occupy a wide range of different habitats. Notably, they are the dominant species in grasslands, open habitats that cover around one fifth of the earth's terrestrial surface. This has been translated into a modern classification which divides the grasses into twelve subfamilies and a number of tribes, with large tribes further divided into subtribes.

Anomochlooideae, Pharoideae and Puelioideae are early diverging lineages containing only a few species. Most of the diversity falls into the two big BOP and PACMAD clades, which each contain roughly half of the family's species. C<sub>4</sub> lineages have only evolved in the PACMAD clade, whereas many lineages in the BOP clade have evolved adaptations to cold climate.

While the higher-level classification of the grasses is now relatively well understood, taxonomic efforts continue at the species and genera level, and with continuing phylogenetic research, a number of names is likely to change. The list of genera below is therefore likely to evolve with further study.

Genera

809 genera are currently accepted:

A

thumb|upright|alt=Bamboo stalks|[[Arundinaria gigantea, a temperate woody bamboo (Bambusoideae: Arundinarieae)]]

  • Aakia
  • Achnatherum
  • Aciachne
  • Acidosasa
  • Acostia
  • Acrachne
  • Acritochaete
  • Acroceras
  • Acrospelion
  • Actinocladum
  • Adenochloa
  • Aegilops
  • × Aegilotriticum
  • Aeluropus
  • Aemulanthus
  • Afrotrichloris
  • Agenium
  • Agnesia
  • × Agroelymus (Agropyron × Elymus)
  • × Agropogon (Agrostis × Polypogon)
  • Agropyron
  • Agropyropsis
  • Agrostis
  • Agrostopoa
  • Agrostula
  • × Agrothinopyrum (Agropyron × Thinopyrum)
  • Aira
  • Airopsis
  • Alexfloydia
  • Alloeochaete
  • Allolepis
  • Alloteropsis
  • Alopecurus
  • Alpagrostis
  • Altoparadisium
  • Alvimia
  • Amelichloa
  • Ammochloa
  • Ammophila – synonym of Calamagrostis
  • Ampelocalamus
  • Ampelodesmos
  • Amphibromus
  • Amphicarpum
  • Amphipogon
  • Anadelphia
  • Anatherum
  • Ancistrachne
  • Ancistragrostis
  • Andropogon
  • Andropterum
  • Anemanthele
  • Aniselytron
  • Anisopogon
  • Annamocalamus
  • Anomochloa
  • Anthaenantiopsis
  • Anthaenantia
  • Anthephora
  • Anthosachne
  • Anthoxanthum
  • Antinoria
  • Apera
  • Apluda
  • Apochiton – synonym of Coelachyrum
  • Apochloa
  • Apoclada
  • Apocopis
  • Arberella
  • Arctagrostis
  • × Arctodupontia (Arctophila × Dupontia)
  • Arctohyalopoa
  • Arctophila – synonym of Dupontia
  • Arctopoa
  • Aristida
  • Arrhenatherum
  • Arthraxon
  • Arthropogon
  • Arthrostylidium
  • Arundinaria
  • Arundinella
  • Arundo
  • Arundoclaytonia
  • Asthenochloa
  • Astrebla
  • Athroostachys
  • Atractantha
  • Aulonemia
  • Aulonemiella
  • Australopyrum
  • Austrochloris
  • Austroderia
  • Austrostipa
  • Avellinia
  • Avena
  • Avenella
  • Avenula
  • Axonopus

B

thumb|upright|alt=Grass inflorescence with small, heart-shaped spikelets|Inflorescence of quaking grass ([[Briza media, Pooideae: Poeae)]]

  • Bambusa
  • Baptorhachis
  • Barkworthia
  • Bashania
  • Batochloa
  • Beckmannia
  • Bellardiochloa
  • Bergbambos
  • Bewsia
  • Bhidea
  • Blepharidachne
  • Boldrinia
  • Bonia
  • Borinda
  • Bothriochloa
  • Bouteloua
  • Brachychloa
  • Brachyelytrum
  • Brachypodium
  • Brachystachyum
  • Brasilochloa
  • Briza
  • Bromuniola
  • Bromus
  • Brylkinia
  • Buergersiochloa

C

thumb|upright|alt=Cenchrus longisetus|Cenchrus longisetus

thumb|alt=Landscape with rocks, hikers, and pampas grass|Pampas grass ([[Cortaderia selloana, Danthonioideae) marking the landscape in Atacama Desert, Chile]]

  • Calamagrostis
  • Calamovilfa – synonym of Sporobolus
  • Calamtrisetum
  • Calotheca
  • Calyptochloa
  • Cambajuva
  • × Campeiordeum (Campeiostachys × Hordeum)
  • Campeiostachys
  • × Campeyilia (Campeiostachys × Kengyilia)
  • Canastra
  • Capeochloa
  • Capillipedium
  • Castellia
  • Catabrosa
  • Catabrosella
  • Catalepis
  • × Catanellia (Catabrosa × Puccinellia)
  • Catapodium
  • Cathariostachys
  • Celtica
  • Cenchrus
  • Centotheca
  • Centropodia
  • Cephalostachyum
  • Chaetium
  • Chaetobromus
  • Chaetopoa
  • Chamaeraphis
  • Chandrasekharania
  • Chascolytrum
  • Chasechloa
  • Chasmanthium
  • Chasmopodium
  • Chevalierella
  • Chikusichloa
  • Chimaerochloa
  • Chimonobambusa
  • Chimonocalamus
  • Chionachne – synonym of Polytoca
  • Chionochloa
  • Chloothamnus
  • Chloris
  • Chlorocalymma
  • Chrysochloa
  • Chrysopogon
  • Chusquea
  • Ciliochloa
  • Cinna
  • Cinnagrostis
  • Cinnastrum
  • Cladoraphis
  • Clausospicula
  • Cleistachne – synonym of Sorghum
  • Cleistochloa
  • Cleistogenes
  • Cnidochloa
  • Cochinchinochloa
  • Coelachne
  • Coelachyrum
  • Coelorachis – synonym of Eremochloa
  • Coix
  • Colanthelia
  • Coleanthus
  • Coleataenia
  • Colpodium
  • Condilorachia
  • Cornucopiae – synonym of Alopecurus
  • Cortaderia
  • Corynephorus
  • Cottea
  • Craspedorhachis
  • Crinipes
  • Crithopsis
  • Crypsis – symptom of Sporobolus
  • Cryptachne
  • Cryptochloa
  • Ctenium
  • Cutandia
  • Cyathopus
  • Cymbopogon
  • × Cynochloris (Chloris × Cynodon)
  • Cynodon
  • Cynosurus
  • Cyperochloa
  • Cyphochlaena
  • Cyphonanthus
  • Cyrtochloa
  • Cyrtococcum

D

  • Dactylis
  • Dactyloctenium
  • Daknopholis
  • Danthonia
  • Danthoniastrum
  • Danthonidium
  • Danthoniopsis
  • Dasyochloa – synonym of Munroa
  • Dasypyrum
  • × Dasyticum (Dasypyrum × Triticum)
  • Davidsea
  • Decaryella
  • Decaryochloa
  • Dendrocalamus
  • Deschampsia
  • Desmazeria
  • Desmostachya
  • Diandrolyra
  • Diarrhena
  • Dichaetaria
  • Dichanthelium
  • Dichanthium
  • Dichelachne – synonym of Pentapogon
  • Didymogonyx
  • Diectomis
  • Digitaria
  • Dignathia
  • Diheteropogon
  • Dilophotriche
  • Dimeria
  • Dimorphochloa
  • Dinebra
  • Dinochloa
  • Diplachne
  • Disakisperma
  • Dissanthelium – synonym of Poa
  • Dissochondrus
  • Distichlis
  • Drakkaria
  • Dregeochloa
  • Drepanostachyum
  • Dryopoa
  • Dupontia
  • Dupontiopsis
  • × Dupontopoa (Dupontia × Poa)
  • Duthiea

E

  • Eccoptocarpha
  • Echinaria
  • Echinochloa
  • Echinolaena
  • Echinopogon
  • Ectrosia - synonym of Eragrostis
  • Ehrharta
  • Ekmanochloa
  • Eleusine
  • Elionurus
  • Ellisochloa
  • × Elyhordeum (Elymus × Hordeum)
  • × Elyleymus (Elymus × Leymus)
  • Elymandra
  • × Elymostachys (Elymus × Psathyrostachys)
  • Elymus
  • Elytrigia – synonym of Elymus
  • Elytrophorus
  • Elytrostachys
  • Enneapogon
  • Enteropogon
  • Entolasia
  • Entoplocamia
  • Eragrostiella
  • Eragrostis
  • Eremitis
  • Eremocaulon
  • Eremochloa
  • Eremopyrum
  • Eriachne
  • Erianthecium
  • Erianthus
  • Eriochloa
  • Eriochrysis
  • Eriocoma
  • Erioneuron
  • × Eriosella (Eriocoma × Nassella)
  • Euclasta
  • Eulalia
  • Eulaliopsis
  • Eustachys
  • Exotheca

F

  • Falona
  • Fargesia
  • Farrago
  • Ferrocalamus
  • Festuca
  • Festucopsis
  • × Festulolium (Festuca × Lolium)
  • Filgueirasia
  • Fimbribambusa
  • Fingerhuthia
  • Froesiochloa

G

  • Gaoligongshania
  • Garnotia
  • Gastridium
  • Gaudinia
  • Gelidocalamus
  • Geochloa
  • Germainia
  • Gerritea
  • × Gigantocalamus (Dendrocalamus × Gigantochloa)
  • Gigantochloa
  • Gilgiochloa
  • Glaziophyton
  • Glyceria
  • Glyphochloa
  • Gouinia
  • Graciliotrisetum
  • Graphephorum
  • Greeneochloa
  • Greslania
  • Guadua
  • Guaduella
  • Gymnopogon
  • Gynerium

H

  • Habrochloa
  • Hackelochloa
  • Hainardia – synonym of Parapholis
  • Hakonechloa
  • Halopyrum
  • Harpachne
  • Harpochloa
  • Helictochloa
  • Helictotrichon
  • Hemarthria
  • Hemisorghum
  • Henrardia
  • Hesperostipa
  • Heterachne – synonym of Eragrostis
  • Heteranthelium
  • Heteranthoecia
  • Heteropholis
  • Heteropogon
  • Hickelia
  • Hierochloe – synonym of Anthoxanthum
  • Hilaria
  • Hitchcockella
  • Holcolemma
  • Holcus
  • Holttumochloa
  • Homolepis
  • Homopholis
  • Homozeugos
  • Hookerochloa
  • Hopia
  • Hordelymus
  • Hordeum
  • Hsuehochloa
  • Hubbardia
  • Hubbardochloa
  • Humbertochloa
  • Hyalopoa
  • Hyalopodium
  • Hydrothauma
  • Hygrochloa
  • Hygroryza
  • Hylebates
  • Hymenachne
  • Hyparrhenia
  • Hyperthelia
  • Hypseochloa

I

  • Ichnanthus
  • Imperata
  • Indocalamus
  • Indopoa
  • Indosasa
  • Isachne
  • Ischaemum
  • Iseilema
  • Ixophorus

J

  • Janochloa
  • Jansenella
  • Jarava
  • Jouvea

K

  • Kalinia
  • Kampochloa
  • Kaokochloa
  • Kellochloa
  • × Kengdoroegneria (Kengyilia × Pseudoroegneria)
  • Kengiochloa
  • Kengyilia
  • Keratochlaena
  • Kerriochloa
  • Khoonmengia
  • Kinabaluchloa
  • Koeleria
  • Koordersiochloa
  • Kuruna

L

  • Lachnagrostis
  • Laegaardia
  • Lagurus
  • Lamarckia
  • Laobambos
  • Lasiacis
  • Lasiorhachis
  • Lasiurus
  • Lecomtella
  • Leersia
  • Leptagrostis
  • Leptaspis
  • Leptocarydion
  • Leptochloa
  • Leptothrium
  • Lepturidium
  • Lepturopetium
  • Lepturus
  • × Leydeum (Hordeum × Leymus)
  • × Leymostachys (Leymus × Psathyrostachys)
  • Leymus
  • Limnas
  • Limnodea
  • Limnopoa
  • Lithachne
  • Littledalea
  • Locajonoa
  • Lolium
  • Lombardochloa
  • Lophacme
  • Lophatherum
  • Lophopogon
  • Lorenzochloa
  • Loudetia
  • Loudetiopsis
  • Louisiella
  • Loxodera
  • Luziola
  • Lycochloa
  • Lygeum

M

  • Maclurochloa
  • Maclurolyra
  • Macrochloa
  • Maltebrunia
  • Manisuris
  • Mayariochloa
  • Megalachne
  • Megaloprotachne – synonym of Digitaria
  • Megastachya
  • Megathyrsus
  • Melanocenchris
  • Melica
  • Melinis
  • Melocalamus
  • Melocanna
  • Merostachys
  • Merxmuellera
  • Mesosetum
  • Metcalfia
  • Mibora
  • Micrachne
  • Micraira
  • Microbriza
  • Microcalamus
  • Microchloa
  • Microlaena
  • Microstegium
  • Milium
  • Miscanthidium
  • Miscanthus
  • Mnesithea
  • Mniochloa
  • Molineriella
  • Molinia
  • Moliniopsis
  • Monachather
  • Monelytrum
  • Monocymbium
  • Moorochloa
  • Morronea
  • Mosdenia
  • Muhlenbergia
  • Mullerochloa
  • Munroa
  • Myriocladus
  • Myriostachya

N

  • Nanooravia
  • Narduroides – synonym of Festuca
  • Nardus
  • Narenga
  • Nassella
  • Nastus
  • Neesiochloa
  • Nematopoa
  • Neobouteloua
  • Neohouzeaua – synonym of Schizostachyum
  • Neololeba
  • Neomicrocalamus
  • Neostapfia
  • Neostapfiella
  • Neotrinia
  • Nephelochloa
  • Neurachne
  • Neyraudia
  • Nianhochloa
  • Nicoraepoa
  • Notochloe

O

thumb|right|alt=A rice field with a farmer kneeling, picking rice plantlets|Cultivation of rice, [[Oryza sativa (Oryzoideae: Oryzeae), in Cambodia]]

  • Ocellochloa
  • Ochlandra
  • Odyssea
  • Oedochloa
  • Oldeania
  • Oligostachyum
  • Olmeca
  • Oloptum
  • Olyra
  • Oncorachis
  • Ophiuros
  • Oplismenopsis
  • Oplismenus
  • Orcuttia
  • Oreobambos
  • Oreochloa
  • Oreopoa
  • Orinus
  • Oropetium
  • Ortachne
  • Orthacanthus
  • Orthoclada
  • Orthoraphium
  • Oryza
  • Oryzidium
  • Oryzopsis
  • Osvaldoa
  • Otachyrium
  • Otatea
  • Ottochloa
  • Oxychloris
  • Oxyrhachis
  • Oxytenanthera

P

thumb|upright|alt=Inflorenscence of a grass with broad leaves|[[Pharus parvifolius, an early-diverging grass in the subfamily Pharoideae, growing in the understory of tropical rainforest]]

thumb|upright|alt=Reed stalks with water surface in background|[[Common reed (Arundinoideae: Arundineae), growing on a lakeshore]]

  • Panicum
  • Pappagrostis
  • Pappophorum
  • Pappostipa
  • Parabambusa
  • Paracolpodium
  • Paractaenum
  • Parafestuca
  • Parahyparrhenia
  • Paramochloa
  • Parapholis
  • Paratheria
  • Pariana
  • Parianella
  • Parodiolyra
  • Parodiophyllochloa
  • Parvotrisetum
  • Pascopyrum – synonym of Elymus
  • Paspalum
  • Patis
  • Patzkea
  • Pennisetum – synonym of Cenchrus
  • Pentameris
  • Pentapogon
  • Periballia
  • Peridictyon
  • Perotis
  • Perrierbambus
  • Peyritschia
  • Phacelurus
  • Phaenanthoecium
  • Phaenosperma
  • Phalaris
  • Pharus
  • Pheidochloa
  • Phippsia
  • Phleum
  • Pholiurus
  • Phragmites
  • Phuphanochloa
  • Phyllorachis
  • × Phyllosasa
  • Phyllostachys
  • Pinga
  • Piptatheropsis
  • Piptatherum
  • Piptochaetium
  • Piptophyllum
  • Piresia
  • Piresiella
  • Plagiantha
  • Plagiosetum
  • Pleioblastus
  • Pleuropogon
  • Plinthanthesis
  • Poa
  • Podagrostis
  • Poecilostachys
  • Pogonachne
  • Pogonarthria
  • Pogonatherum
  • Pogonochloa
  • Pogononeura
  • Pohlidium
  • Poidium
  • Polevansia
  • Polypogon
  • Polytoca
  • Polytrias
  • Pommereulla
  • Potamophila
  • Pratochloa
  • Prosphytochloa
  • Psammagrostis – synonym of Eragrostis
  • Psammochloa
  • Psathyrostachys
  • Pseudanthistiria
  • Pseudechinolaena
  • Pseudobambusa
  • Pseudobromus
  • Pseudodanthonia
  • Pseudodichanthium
  • Pseudoeriocoma
  • Pseudolasiacis
  • Pseudopentameris
  • Pseudophleum
  • Pseudopogonatherum
  • Pseudoraphis
  • Pseudoroegneria
  • Pseudosasa
  • Pseudosorghum
  • Pseudostachyum
  • Pseudotrachys
  • Pseudoxytenanthera
  • Pseudozoysia
  • Psilathera
  • Psilolemma
  • Ptilagrostiella
  • Ptilagrostis
  • Puccinellia
  • × Pucciphippsia
  • Puelia

R

  • Racemobambos
  • Raddia
  • Raddiella
  • Ratzeburgia
  • Ravenochloa
  • Redfieldia – synonym of Muhlenbergia
  • Rehia
  • Reitzia
  • Relchela
  • Renvoizea
  • Reynaudia
  • Rheochloa
  • Rhipidocladum
  • Rhizocephalus
  • Rhombolytrum
  • Rhynchoryza
  • Rhytachne
  • Richardsiella
  • Rosengurttia
  • Rostraria
  • Rottboellia
  • Rugoloa
  • Ruhooglandia
  • Rupichloa
  • Rytidosperma

S

thumb|upright|alt=Grass with reddish-brown, dense panicles|Foxtail millet ([[Setaria italica, Panicoideae: Paniceae)]]

  • Saccharum
  • Sacciolepis
  • Sarga
  • Sarocalamus
  • Sartidia
  • Sasa
  • Sasaella
  • Sasamorpha
  • Saugetia – synonym of Tetrapogon
  • Saxipoa
  • Schenckochloa
  • Schismus
  • Schizachne
  • Schizachyrium
  • Schizostachyum
  • Schmidiella
  • Schmidtia
  • Schoenefeldia
  • Schoenefeldiella
  • Sclerochloa
  • Sclerodactylon
  • Scleropogon
  • Scolochloa
  • Scrotochloa
  • Scutachne
  • Secale
  • Sehima
  • Semiarundinaria
  • Sesleria
  • Sesleriella
  • Setaria
  • Setariopsis
  • Shibataea
  • Sibirotrisetum
  • Silentvalleya
  • Simonachne
  • Simplicia
  • Sinobambusa
  • Sinochasea
  • Sinosasa
  • Sirochloa
  • Snowdenia
  • Soejatmia
  • Sohnsia
  • Sokinochloa
  • Sorghastrum
  • Sorghum
  • Spartina – synonym of Sporobolus
  • Spartochloa
  • Spathia
  • Sphaerobambos
  • Sphaerocaryum
  • Spheneria
  • Sphenopholis
  • Sphenopus
  • Spinifex
  • Spodiopogon
  • Sporobolus
  • Stapfochloa
  • Stapletonia
  • Steinchisma
  • Steirachne
  • Stelanemia
  • Stenostachys
  • Stenotaphrum
  • Stephanachne
  • Stephostachys
  • Stereochlaena
  • Steyermarkochloa
  • Stiburus
  • Stipa
  • Stipagrostis
  • Stipellula
  • Stolonochloa
  • Streptochaeta
  • Streptogyna
  • Streptolophus
  • Streptostachys
  • Styppeiochloa
  • Sucrea
  • Suddia
  • Swallenia
  • Sylvipoa

T

thumb|upright|alt=Inflorescence with spiny spikelets|Inflorescence of [[Tragus roxburghieae, a C<sub>4</sub> grass in subfamily Chloridoideae]]

  • Taeniatherum
  • Taeniorhachis
  • Taquara
  • Tarigidia
  • Tatianyx
  • Temburongia
  • Temochloa
  • Tenaxia
  • Tetrachaete
  • Tetrachne
  • Tetrapogon
  • Tetrarrhena
  • Thamnocalamus
  • Thaumastochloa
  • Thedachloa
  • Thelepogon
  • Themeda
  • × Thinoelymus (Elymus × Thinopyrum)
  • × Thinoleymus (Leymus × Thinopyrum)
  • Thinopyrum
  • Thorneochloa
  • Thuarea
  • Thyridachne
  • Thyridolepis
  • Thyrsia
  • × Thyrsocalamus (Dendrocalamus × Thyrsostachys)
  • Thyrsostachys
  • Thysanolaena
  • Tibisia
  • Timouria
  • Tongpeia
  • Torreyochloa
  • Trachypogon
  • Trachys
  • Tragus
  • Tribolium
  • Trichanthecium
  • Tricholaena
  • Tricholemma
  • Trichoneura
  • Trichopteryx
  • Tridens
  • Tridentopsis
  • Trigonochloa
  • Trikeraia
  • Trilobachne
  • Triniochloa
  • Triodia
  • Tripidium
  • Triplachne
  • Triplasiella
  • Triplasis
  • Triplopogon
  • Tripogon
  • Tripogonella
  • Tripsacum
  • Triraphis
  • Triscenia
  • Trisetaria
  • Trisetopsis
  • × Trisetopsotrichon (Helictotrichon × Trisetopsis)
  • Trisetum
  • Tristachya
  • Triticum
  • Tuctoria
  • Tzveleviochloa

U

  • Uniola
  • Uranthoecium
  • Urelytrum
  • Urochloa
  • Urochondra

V

  • Vahlodea
  • Valiha
  • Vaseyochloa
  • Veldkampia
  • Ventenata
  • Vietnamocalamus
  • Vietnamochloa
  • Vietnamosasa
  • Viguierella
  • Vossia
  • Vulpia – synonym of Festuca
  • Vulpiella

W

  • Walwhalleya
  • Wangenheimia
  • Whiteochloa
  • Widjajachloa
  • Willkommia

X, Y

  • Xerochloa
  • Yersinochloa
  • Yakirra – synonym of Panicum
  • Yushania
  • Yvesia

Z

thumb|alt=Maize/corn cobs in colours from yellow to red.|Cultivated varieties of maize or corn ([[Zea mays, Panicoideae: Andropogoneae)]]

  • Zaqiqah
  • Zea
  • Zenkeria
  • Zeugites
  • Zingeria – synonym of Colpodium
  • Zizania
  • Zizaniopsis
  • Zonotriche
  • Zotovia
  • Zoysia
  • Zuloagaea
  • Zygochloa

References