List of Poaceae of South Africa

Poaceae or Gramineae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the order Poales, known as grasses. With around 780 genera and around 12,000 species, the Poaceae is the fifth-largest plant family, following the Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Fabaceae and Rubiaceae.

The Poaceae are the most economically important plant family, providing staple foods from domesticated cereal crops such as maize, wheat, rice, barley, and millet as well as feed for meat-producing animals. They provide, through direct human consumption, just over one-half (51%) of all dietary energy. Some members of the Poaceae are used as building materials (bamboo, thatch, and straw); others can provide a source of biofuel, primarily via the conversion of maize to ethanol. Grasses have stems that are hollow except at the nodes and narrow alternate leaves borne in two ranks. The lower part of each leaf encloses the stem, forming a leaf-sheath. The leaf grows from the base of the blade, an adaptation allowing it to cope with frequent grazing.

Grasslands such as savannah and prairie where grasses are dominant are estimated to constitute 40.5% of the land area of the Earth, excluding Greenland and Antarctica. Grasses are also an important part of the vegetation in many other habitats, including wetlands, forests and tundra.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

206 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Achnatherum Genus Achnatherum: Achnatherum clandestinum (Hack.) Barkworth, accepted as Amelichloa clandestina (Hack.) Arriaga & Barkworth, not indigenous, naturalised

Acrachne Genus Acrachne: Acrachne racemosa (B.Heyne ex Roem. & Schult.) Ohwi, indigenous

Acroceras Genus Acroceras: Acroceras macrum Stapf, indigenous

Agrostis Genus Agrostis: Agrostis avenacea C.C.Gmel. not indigenous, naturalised Agrostis barbuligera Stapf, indigenous Agrostis barbuligera Stapf var. barbuligera, indigenous Agrostis barbuligera Stapf var. longipilosa Gooss. & Papendorf, indigenous Agrostis bergiana Trin. indigenous Agrostis bergiana Trin. var. bergiana, indigenous Agrostis bergiana Trin. var. laeviuscula Stapf, indigenous Agrostis continuata Stapf, indigenous Agrostis eriantha Hack. indigenous Agrostis eriantha Hack. var. eriantha, indigenous Agrostis eriantha Hack. var. planifolia Gooss. & Papendorf, endemic Agrostis gigantea Roth, not indigenous, naturalised Agrostis griquensis Stapf, indigenous Agrostis lachnantha Nees, indigenous Agrostis lachnantha Nees var. lachnantha, indigenous Agrostis montevidensis Spreng. ex Nees, not indigenous, naturalised Agrostis polypogonoides Stapf, endemic Agrostis schlechteri Rendle, endemic Agrostis subulifolia Stapf, indigenous

Aira Genus Aira: Aira cupaniana Guss. not indigenous, naturalised Aira praecox L. not indigenous, naturalised

Alloteropsis Genus Alloteropsis: Alloteropsis papillosa Clayton, indigenous Alloteropsis semialata (R.Br.) Hitchc. indigenous Alloteropsis semialata (R.Br.) Hitchc. subsp. eckloniana (Nees) Gibbs Russ. indigenous Alloteropsis semialata (R.Br.) Hitchc. subsp. semialata, indigenous

Alopecurus Genus Alopecurus: Alopecurus arundinaceus Poir. not indigenous, naturalised

Amelichloa Genus Amelichloa: Amelichloa clandestina (Hack.) Arriaga & Barkworth, not indigenous, naturalised

Ammophila Genus Ammophila: Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive

Andropogon Genus Andropogon: Andropogon amethystinus Steud. indigenous Andropogon appendiculatus Nees, indigenous Andropogon chinensis (Nees) Merr. indigenous Andropogon distachyos L. indigenous Andropogon eucomus Nees, indigenous Andropogon fastigiatus Sw. indigenous Andropogon festuciformis Rendle, indigenous Andropogon gayanus Kunth, indigenous Andropogon gayanus Kunth var. polycladus (Hack.) Clayton, indigenous Andropogon huillensis Rendle, indigenous Andropogon lacunosus J.G.Anderson, indigenous Andropogon laxatus Stapf, indigenous Andropogon mannii Hook.f. indigenous Andropogon ravus J.G.Anderson, indigenous Andropogon schirensis Hochst. ex A.Rich. indigenous

Anthephora Genus Anthephora: Anthephora argentea Gooss. indigenous Anthephora pubescens Nees, indigenous Anthephora ramosa Gooss. accepted as Anthephora pubescens Nees, present Anthephora schinzii Hack. indigenous

Anthoxanthum Genus Anthoxanthum: Anthoxanthum brevifolium Stapf, endemic Anthoxanthum dregeanum (Nees) Stapf, endemic Anthoxanthum ecklonii (Nees ex Trin.) Stapf, indigenous Anthoxanthum odoratum L. var. odoratum, not indigenous, naturalised Anthoxanthum tongo (Trin.) Stapf, endemic

Aristida Genus Aristida: Aristida adscensionis L. indigenous Aristida aequiglumis Hack. indigenous Aristida bifida Karl, accepted as Stipagrostis obtusa (Delile) Nees Aristida bipartita (Nees) Trin. & Rupr. indigenous Aristida canescens Henrard, indigenous Aristida canescens Henrard subsp. canescens, indigenous Aristida canescens Henrard subsp. ramosa De Winter, endemic Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult. indigenous Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult. subsp. barbicollis (Trin. & Rupr.) De Winter, indigenous Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult. subsp. congesta, indigenous Aristida curvata (Nees) T.Durand & Schinz var. nana Henrard, accepted as Aristida adscensionis L. present Aristida dasydesmis (Pilg.) Mez, endemic Aristida diffusa Trin. indigenous Aristida diffusa Trin. subsp. burkei (Stapf) Melderis, indigenous Aristida diffusa Trin. subsp. diffusa, endemic Aristida effusa Henrard, indigenous Aristida engleri Mez, indigenous Aristida engleri Mez var. engleri, indigenous Aristida engleri Mez var. ramosissima De Winter, indigenous Aristida junciformis Trin. & Rupr. indigenous Aristida junciformis Trin. & Rupr. subsp. galpinii (Stapf) De Winter, indigenous Aristida junciformis Trin. & Rupr. subsp. junciformis, indigenous Aristida meridionalis Henrard, indigenous Aristida mollissima Pilg. indigenous Aristida mollissima Pilg. subsp. argentea (Schweick.) Melderis, indigenous Aristida mollissima Pilg. subsp. mollissima, indigenous Aristida monticola Henrard, endemic Aristida parvula (Nees) De Winter, indigenous Aristida pilgeri Henrard, indigenous Aristida recta Franch. indigenous Aristida rhiniochloa Hochst. indigenous Aristida scabrivalvis Hack. indigenous Aristida scabrivalvis Hack. subsp. contracta (De Winter) Melderis, indigenous Aristida scabrivalvis Hack. subsp. scabrivalvis, indigenous Aristida sciurus Stapf, indigenous Aristida spectabilis Hack. indigenous Aristida stipitata Hack. indigenous Aristida stipitata Hack. subsp. graciliflora (Pilg.) Melderis, indigenous Aristida stipitata Hack. subsp. robusta (Stent & J.M.Rattray) Melderis, indigenous Aristida stipitata Hack. subsp. spicata (De Winter) Melderis, indigenous Aristida stipitata Hack. subsp. stipitata, indigenous Aristida transvaalensis Henrard, indigenous Aristida vestita Thunb. indigenous Aristida vestita Thunb. var. eckloniana Trin. & Rupr. accepted as Aristida diffusa Trin. subsp. diffusa, present

Arrhenatherum Genus Arrhenatherum: Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) J.Presl & C.Presl, not indigenous, naturalised

Arthratherum Genus Arthratherum: Arthratherum capense Nees var. macropus Nees, accepted as Stipagrostis zeyheri (Nees) De Winter subsp. macropus (Nees) De Winter, present Arthratherum subacaule Nees, accepted as Stipagrostis subacaulis (Nees) De Winter, present Arthratherum zeyheri Nees, accepted as Stipagrostis zeyheri (Nees) De Winter subsp. zeyheri, present

Arthraxon Genus Arthraxon: Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst. indigenous Arthraxon lanceolatus (Roxb.) Hochst. var. lanceolatus, indigenous

Arundinella Genus Arundinella: Arundinella nepalensis Trin. indigenous

Arundo Genus Arundo: Arundo donax L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive

Avena Genus Avena: Avena barbata Pott ex Link, not indigenous, naturalised Avena byzantina K.Koch, not indigenous, naturalised Avena fatua L. not indigenous, naturalised Avena sativa L. not indigenous, naturalised Avena sterilis L. not indigenous, naturalised

Axonopus Genus Axonopus: Axonopus affinis Chase, not indigenous, naturalised

Bambusa Genus Bambusa: Bambusa balcooa Roxb. ex Roxb. not indigenous, naturalised

Bewsia Genus Bewsia: Bewsia biflora (Hack.) Gooss. indigenous

Bothriochloa Genus Bothriochloa: Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T.Blake, indigenous Bothriochloa insculpta (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) A.Camus, indigenous Bothriochloa radicans (Lehm.) A.Camus, indigenous

Brachiaria Genus Brachiaria: Brachiaria advena Vickery, not indigenous, naturalised Brachiaria arrecta (Hack. ex T.Durand & Schinz) Stent, indigenous Brachiaria bovonei (Chiov.) Robyns, indigenous Brachiaria brizantha (A.Rich.) Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria chusqueoides (Hack.) Clayton, indigenous Brachiaria deflexa (Schumach.) C.E.Hubb. ex Robyns , indigenous Brachiaria dictyoneura (Fig. & De Not.) Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria dura Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria dura Stapf var. pilosa J.G.Anderson, indigenous Brachiaria eruciformis (Sm.) Griseb. indigenous Brachiaria glomerata (Hack.) A.Camus, indigenous Brachiaria grossa Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick. indigenous Brachiaria marlothii (Hack.) Stent, indigenous Brachiaria nigropedata (Ficalho & Hiern) Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria serrata (Thunb.) Stapf, indigenous Brachiaria subulifolia (Mez) Clayton, indigenous Brachiaria umbellata (Trin.) Clayton, not indigenous, naturalised Brachiaria xantholeuca (Schinz) Stapf, indigenous

Brachychloa Genus Brachychloa: Brachychloa fragilis S.M.Phillips, indigenous Brachychloa schiemanniana (Schweick.) S.M.Phillips, indigenous

Brachypodium Genus Brachypodium: Brachypodium bolusii Stapf, indigenous Brachypodium distachyon (L.) P.Beauv. not indigenous, naturalised Brachypodium flexum Nees, indigenous Brachypodium fontanesianum Nees, accepted as Brachypodium flexum Nees, present

Briza Genus Briza: Briza geniculata Thunb. not indigenous, naturalised Briza maxima L. not indigenous, naturalised Briza minor L. not indigenous, naturalised Briza subaristatum Lam. not indigenous, naturalised

Brizopyrum Genus Brizopyrum: Brizopyrum acutiflorum Nees, accepted as Brizopyrum acutiflorum Nees var. maius Nees, present Brizopyrum acutiflorum Nees var. capillaris Nees, accepted as Tribolium acutiflorum (Nees) Renvoize, present Brizopyrum alternans Nees, accepted as Tribolium uniolae (L.f.) Renvoize, present Brizopyrum capense Trin. var. brachystachyum Nees, accepted as Tribolium brachystachyum (Nees) Renvoize, present Brizopyrum obliterum Stapf, accepted as Tribolium obliterum (Hemsl.) Renvoize, present

Bromus Genus Bromus: Bromus alopecurus Poir. not indigenous, naturalised Bromus catharticus Vahl, not indigenous, naturalised