What Are Poales?

Poales are an order of plants that fall into the angiosperm and monocot classifications. These plants are all monocots, which means that their seeds have one cotyledon. They all share similar characteristics. If you still have questions about Poales, read ahead to learn more about these interesting plants.

Well-known Poales

There are 16 families of plants within the Poales order. Many of these are very rare and rather unfamiliar, but one is fairly common. That is the Poaceae family, which contains grasses, although many of the plants are not generally considered as such, including bamboo and sugar cane. Barley, corn, millet, rice and wheat are probably the best-known members of the order Poales.

Characteristics

There are certain characteristics that all members of this order share. One of these is flowers. All Poales have small flowers that are enclosed by bracts. They also release pollen to reproduce and their seeds contain starch.

History

This history of the Poales order is a long one. Scientists have traced these plants back to South America, where they are thought to have originated about 115 million years ago. This makes them one of the oldest types of plants. They are an order that people have relied on as food sources for survival for many years.

The Poales order of plants is a very broad one, containing both rare and familiar types of plants primarily categorized as grasses. Barley and wheat are very important plants within this order while some other members are more obscure but still vital parts of the food chain.