Sweet grasses (Poaceae)

The sweet grasses are the most important plants from steppe and savanna. They are the main source of food for grazing animals and as cultivated species (wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays)) for humans. The cultivation of barley about 10 000 years ago, marked the initiation of agriculture. The figure shows flowers from the genus Calamagrostis.