ABSTRACT
Based on modern taxonomic treatments, the grass family (Poaceae or Gramineae) is the fourth largest group of flowering plants. It consists of about 10,000 species and, depending on the type of classification, has from 651 1 to 785 2 genera. Tropical grasses comprise a large portion of the family. Four of the eight largest genera, Eragrostis, Panicum, Paspalum, and Digitaria, consist of many tropical species. 2
