tráva

Tráva, or grass, refers to plants in the family Poaceae, a large and cosmopolitan group of monocotyledonous flowering plants that includes most cereals and turf grasses. Grasses occupy a wide range of habitats and are central to many ecosystems, from natural grasslands and savannas to cultivated lawns, pastures, and roadside turf.

Morphology and life cycle: Grasses typically have slender, hollow stems called culms, with leaves that wrap around the stem via a leaf sheath and a ligule at the junction. The inflorescence is usually a spikelet-bearing spike, raceme, or panicle. Most grasses reproduce by seeds, but many spread vegetatively by rhizomes or stolons, enabling rapid recovery after disturbance.

Ecology: Grasses include both C3 and C4 species. C3 grasses dominate cooler and wetter regions, while C4 grasses thrive in hot, sunny environments and in water-limited conditions. They are often the first colonizers in disturbed soils and play a key role in soil stabilization and carbon cycling.

Uses and significance: Grasses are vital for human society. They supply staple cereals such as wheat (Triticum), rice (Oryza), maize (Zea), barley (Hordeum), oats (Avena), millet, and sorghum, providing calories and nutrients for billions. They also support livestock production as forage and are widely used as turf for lawns, golf courses, and sports fields. Bamboo and sugarcane are notable examples of grasses used for construction and industry.

Examples: Common lawn grasses include Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Important crop and forage grasses include the major cereals and various forage species.