''Briza'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook ** Literary annual * Annual plant * Annual report * Annual giving * Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco * Annuals (b ...

and perennial plants in the

grass family Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and ...

, native to northern

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

regions of

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago a ...

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

, and certain islands in the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

. The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s and seedheads shake on their stalks in the slightest breeze. Some of its members are grown as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s. ''Briza'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including '' Coleophora lixella''. ;SpeciesAltervista Flora Italiana, genere ''Briza''
includes photos and distribution maps for the three species ''B. maxima'', ''B. media'' and ''B. minor''. * ''

Briza humilis ''Briza'' is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family, native to northern temperate regions of Eurasia, North Africa, and certain islands in the Atlantic. The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the ...

'' M.Bieb. – from Albania to Iran * ''

Briza marcowiczii ''Briza'' is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family, native to northern temperate regions of Eurasia, North Africa, and certain islands in the Atlantic. The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the ...

'' Woronow – Turkey, Caucasus * ''

Briza maxima ''Briza maxima'' is a species of the grass genus ''Briza''. It is native to Northern Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe and is cultivated or naturalised in the British Isles, the Azores, Australasia, the western United States, Central and S ...

'' L. – Mediterranean, Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands; naturalized in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and certain oceanic islands * ''

Briza media ''Briza media'' is a perennial grass in the family Poaceae and is a species of the genus ''Briza''. Common name includes quaking-grass, common quaking grass, cow-quake, didder, dithering-grass, dodder-grass, doddering dillies, doddle-grass, eart ...

'' L. – Europe, Asia, North Africa, Azores, Canary Islands; naturalized in New Zealand and parts of North America * ''

Briza minor ''Briza minor'' is a species of grass known by the common names lesser quaking-grass or little quakinggrass. It is native to the Mediterranean Basin, and it is known elsewhere, including much of North America, as an introduced species. It is an ...

'' L. – from Azores + Canary Islands to Iran; naturalized in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and certain oceanic islands Over 100 species formerly included in ''Briza'' are now placed in other genera, including ''

Agrostis ''Agrostis'' (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass. Species * '' Agrostis aequivalvi'' ...

'', ''

Airopsis ''Airopsis'' is a genus of southern European and northern African plants in the grass family. ;Species The only accepted species is ''Airopsis tenella'', native to the western Mediterranean: Portugal, Spain, France incl Corsica, Italy incl Sic ...

'', ''

Chascolytrum ''Chascolytrum'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, native to Latin America from Mexico to Chile (including the Juan Fernández Islands).Essi, L., T. T. Souza-Chies & H. M. Longhi-Wagner. 2011. Novon 21:327-329 ; Species * '' Chascolytru ...

'', ''

Desmazeria ''Desmazeria'' is a genus of Mediterranean plants in the grass family, related to ''Catapodium''. The genus is named for John Baptiste Henri Joseph Desmazières, (1796-1862) a French merchant, amateur botanist, and editor of scientific journals. ...

'', ''

Desmostachya ''Desmostachya'' is a genus of grass in the family Poaceae. Taxonomy The genus ''Desmostachya'' was originally published as ''Eragrostis'' sect. ''Desmostachya'' in ''The Flora of British India'' 7: 324. 1897. Somehow two prominent botanists, Jo ...

'', ''

Distichlis ''Distichlis'' is a genus of American and Australian plants in the grass family.Bell, H. L. & J. T. Columbus. 2008. Proposal for an expanded ''Distichlis'' (Poaceae, Chloridoideae): Support from molecular, morphological, and anatomical charact ...

'', ''

Eragrostis ''Eragrostis'' is a large and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found in many countries on all inhabited continents and many islands. ''Eragrostis'' is commonly known as lovegrass or canegrass. The name of the genus is derived fr ...

'', ''

Glyceria ''Glyceria'' is a widespread genus of grass family common across Eurasia, Australia, North Africa, and the Americas. ''Glyceria'' is known commonly as mannagrass in the United States, or, in the UK, sweet-grass. These are perennial rhizomatous ...

'', ''

Halopyrum ''Halopyrum'' is a genus of Asian and African plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Halopyrum mucronatum'', native to the Indian Subcontinent, Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, Socotra, Madagascar, and eastern + northeastern Africa ( ...

'', ''

Neesiochloa ''Neesiochloa'' is a genus of Brazilian plants in the Poaceae, grass family. The only known species is ''Neesiochloa barbata''. It is native to eastern Brazil (Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará, Piauí). The genus name of ''Neesiochloa'' is in ...

'', '' Poa'', '' Tribolium'', ''

Trisetum ''Trisetum'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biologica ...

'' and ''

Uniola ''Uniola'' is a genus of New World plants in the grass family. ; Species * '' Uniola condensata'' Hitchc. - Ecuador * ''Uniola paniculata'' L. – sea oats - coastal regions in southeastern United States (TX LA MS AL GA FL NC SC ...

''.

References

External links

* Pooideae Poaceae genera Grasses of Africa Grasses of Asia Grasses of Europe Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Pooideae-stub

See also

References

External links