Flowers of Poaceae

Flowers of Poaceae are characteristically arranged in spikelets, each having one or more florets.[17]:12 The spikelets are further grouped into panic

les or spikes. The part of the spikelet that bears the florets is called the rachilla. A spikelet consists of two (or sometimes fewer) bracts at the base, called glumes, followed by one or more florets.[17]:13 A floret consists of the flower surrounded by two bracts, one external—the lemma—and one internal—the palea. The flowers are usually hermaphroditic—maize being

an important exception—and mainly anemophilous or wind-pollinated, although insects occasionally play a role.[19] The perianth is reduced to two scales, called lodicules,[17]:11 that expand and contract to spread the lemma and palea; these are generally inter

preted to be modified sepals. The fruit of grasses is a caryopsis, in which the seed coat is fused to the fruit wall.[17]:16 A tiller is a leafy shoot other than the first shoot produced from the seed.[17]:11