grasses

• Grasses are the most important plant family in the world.

• Over 30% of earths land area is covered with natural grasslands.

• There is 9700 species in the world (10% of that in SA) 
• Grasses protect the soil from erosion, and put nutrients in the soil.
• Grasses may be tufted, erect, creeping, flaoting, or climbing
• Grasses consists of inter nodes, associated node, leaf, bud, adventitious root
• The roots won't grow deeper than 2m
• Pollinated by wind
• Grass have growing points at the bottom protecting them from overgrazing.

Veld types:

• Sweet veld: grows in frost free areas, sensitive to overgrazing, recover quick from disturbances.
• Sour veld: Grows in lower temperatures, may tolerate overgrazing,  Recovers slowly after a disturbance.

Types:

• Red grass: indicator of a good veld condition, Grows mainly in clay soil.
• Thatching grass: Use on roofs of houses
• Narrow leaved turpentine grass: smells like turpentine
• Spear grass: if it is wet it turns into ground(reproductive)
• Natal red top: Turns from red to white when it matures.
• Guinea grass: very nutritious
• Wire grass: non Pallatable