| Abscission | natural shedding of dispersal units or other plant parts. |
| Adventitious roots | arise from places other than the root system such as the lower stem. |
| Auricle | appendages at the leaf-blade/sheath junction of some grasses. Auricles are usually in pairs but only one may be present and this is termed a sheath lobe. |
| Awn | an elongated bristle-like appendage attached to the apex, back or base of the glume, lemma or palea. |
| Basal | borne at or near the base. |
| Bract | a leaf-like, husk-like structure associated with grass flower or inflorescence. |
| Caryopsis | the indehiscent fruit of most grasses with a single seed, the testa (seed coat) of which is fused with the pericarp (outer wall). |
| Culm | grass stem. |
| Diaspore | the sexual dispersal unit including non-floral parts (if any). |
| Ecotype | a subdivision of a species with distinct characteristics adapted to local or regional conditions. |
| Floret | the flowering part of a grass (includes the lemma and palea); the term is also used if some parts are absent and can refer to a lemma only. |
| Family | a group of related genera. |
| Flower | the structure for sexual reproduction in the angiosperms, normally consisting of perianth, stamens and carpels. |
| Genotype | all the genes of an organism that allow expression of genetic potential. However, the genotype may not always be expressed in the physical appearance (phenotype). |
| Genus (plural genera) | a group of related species believed to be related and distinct from other such groups of species. |
| Glumes | the empty bracts at the base of a grass spikelet; usually two glumes are present. |
| Hygroscopic | responds (twists or opens) to moisture changes. |
| Inflorescence | a group of flowers borne on a stem. |
| Lemma | the outer bracts at the base of a grass spikelet; usually two glumes are present. |
| Ligule | a membrane or hairs found on the inner (adaxial) surface of the leaf-blade/sheath junction. |
| Palea | the upper 'husk' of a grass floret enclosing the flower. |
| Panicle | a compound or branched raceme. |
| Raceme | an unbranched inflorescence with the spikelets attached to the axis by pedicels (small stalks). |
| Rhizome | an underground stem usually growing horizontally. |
| Species | a group of grasses with similar form and/or reproductive mechanisms; the basic unit of biological classification. |
| Spike | an inflorescence with spikelets attached to the axis with no stalks. In grasses, lateral branches may be termed spikes. |
| Spikelet | consists of one or more florets and is the basic unit of the inflorescence in grasses. |
| Tiller | aerial shoot usually lateral and basal and more or less erect. |
