Chapter 1 - Forage & Grasslands

Pasture & Range Management

Biome

a large community of vegetation and associated wildlife adapted to a specific climate.

List the 5 major types of biomes.

Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, desert, and tundra

Browse

buds, leaves, twigs of woody foraged by animals for food

Forage

edible parts of plants, other separated grains, that provide feed for animals, or can be harvested for feeding

Grassland

a biome on which the predominant plant species are short and non-woody

Growth

irreversible increase in mass

Herbage

leaves, stems, roots, seeds of non-woody plants foraged by animals for food

Mast

seed and nuts of woody plants (i.e. acorns) foraged by animals for food

Meadow

(sub-biome of grasslands) native grassland suitable for mowing. Meadows are largely composed of species native to the region, with only limited human intervention.

Pasture

grass or other plants grown for the feeding of grazing animals. Looked after and tended to (usually monocultured)

Prairie

(French) flat topography, 50-200 cm annual rain, grass is major plant type

Range

Land on which the indigenous vegetation is grazed or has the potential to be grazed and is managed as a natural ecosystem. (usually mixed species of plants)

Savanna

(Spanish) flat topography, 25-80 cm annual rain, grass is major plant type

List 3 things that animals gain from eating seeds/nuts.

carbohydrates, lipids, proteins

Anther

the part of the stamen where pollen is produced

Auricle (leaf)

A small ear-like projection from the base of a leaf or petal

Awn

a hair- or bristle-like appendage attached to specialized bracts in grasses

Blade (leaf)

Typically, the flattened or broadened section portion of a plant, typically where the process of photosynthesis takes place

Bract

a modified leaf, often associated with reproductive growth

Caryopsis

a specialized type of dry, one-seeded fruit found in grasses

Coleoptile

A protective sheath surrounding the plumule

Coleorhiza

A protective sheath surrounding the radicle

Cotyledon

an embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.

Culm

the elongated stem of a flowering grass

Dicot

short for dicotyledon; defined by having seeds that contain two (di-) embryonic leaves known as cotyledons

Embryo axis

portion of the plant embryo consisting of the embryonic root (radicle) and embryonic shoot (plumule).

embryo axis

The __________ develops into the seedling.

Epicotyl

region of an embryo or seedling stem above the cotyledon

Fibrous root system

a root system, as in most grasses, having numerous, very fine branches of approximately the same length.

Filament

the stalk-like portion of the stamen supporting the anther

Floret

a small flower

Glume

in grasses or grass-like plants, a specialized bract found immediately below the floral parts

Inflorescence

portion or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches

Internode

portion of a stem between two adjacent nodes

Lemma

In grasses, one of a pair of glumes, the larger (outer) bract which may have an awn attached

Ligule (leaf)

a thin appendage of a foliage leaf and especially of the sheath of a blade of grass

Monocot (a.k.a. Monocotyledon)

defined by having seeds that contain a single embryonic leaf known as a cotyledon

Node

the point on a plant stem where leaves and/or branches may be attached

Ovary

the enlarged, basal portion of the pistil, containing the ovules

Palea

the upper of the two bracts that enclose each floret in a grass

Panicle

a more or less elongated inflorescence with a central axis along which there are branches that are themselves branched

Pedicel

a plant stalk that support a flower or a fruit

Perfect flower

a flower containing both male and female reproductive organs in the same flower

Pistil

the female reproductive portion of a flower; comprised of the stigma, style and ovary

Pistillate flower

a flower containing only female reproductive organs

Plumule

the embryonic shoot of a developing seedling

Raceme

an elongated inflorescence with a central axis along which are simple pedicels of more or less equal length

Rachis

the main, flower-bearing portion of an inflorescence

Radicle

the embryonic root of a developing seedling