From where the grasses originate: the features of origin and structure

Where does the grass come from and what year is itappearance on the planet? It's hard to believe, but the first mention of these plants falls to the period before our era. Thanks to what signs of the structure of cereals could reach widespread and in the modern period?

Systematic position of cereals

The Gramine family is a typical representativeThe higher plants of the department are Angiosperms and Class Monocots. They have a leaf-building structure and in the process of development they form a flower and a fruit. Like all monocotyledons, they are characterized by the presence of one cotyledon in the embryo, the fibrous root system. absence of cambium, linear simple leaves. On these grounds, cereals are part of the data of systematic units.

Family Cereals: characteristic features of the structure

Considering the question of where the grasses are from, immediatelyit is worth exploring the relationship between the characteristics of the structure and growth of these organisms. These plants are known since BC. However, over time, their importance has not only not decreased, but also increased significantly. For example, this kind of perennial plant family of cereals, like wheat, "feeds" all of humanity on the planet. Because it produces flour, bakery, confectionery, cereals and pasta.

All cereal plants are herbaceous. They have a hollow stem, which is called a straw. It clearly shows the places where the leaves are fastened - knots. Growth type - intercalary. Leaves of cereals are simple, sessile, with parallel venation. A special structure and flowers are different. They have three stamens and one pestle, which branches into two parts. Such structures are wind-pollinated, so they are collected in inflorescences. They are called ears. When they mature, a seed is formed.

From where the grasses come from

The question of the origin of cereals is rooted inprehistoric times. This period dates back to the 4th-5th century BC. It was at this time that a man began to grow wheat. India, Ethiopia, Greece, Macedonia, Mesopotamia ... From there the cereal plants spread to the whole territory of Asia, to America, Australia, Africa. Now this culture is grown everywhere, and countries compete in terms of its production. But corn, on the contrary, came to Eurasia from the west. For example, in Russia it began to be cultivated only in the 15th century. Therefore, to answer the question, from where the grasses come from, definitely difficult.

An interesting fact is that rye as aa separate culture began to grow almost by accident. For a long time it was considered a weed spreading among wheat sprouts. In the northern regions, the main culture could not adapt and die, and the rye developed very well. Now the bread from this cereal is very popular everywhere.

Many scientists say that initiallythe planet began to grow barley. It was very common and popular in the temperate and even northern areas of the planet. But low temperatures became disastrous for the existence of this species. Therefore, barley was replaced by wheat and rye.

The importance of cereals

Cereal plants are at the same time the mostancient and modern plants. For example, now rice is part of the diet of more than 60% of the world's population. The same indicator characterizes the production of sugar from reeds, which is also a cereal plant. But wheat, rye, barley and millet remain indispensable crops for the production of bread and cereals.

Cereals are one of the most ancient plants that a person uses in his life.