This book is a compilation of information about the distribution of grasses in the 12 ecoregions and 254 counties of Texas. The authors found 721 species reported for the state and over 19,000 county distribution records. Featured in the book are a checklist of species by ecoregion, summaries of the number of documented species per county, and the number of counties where the top 101 species have been collected. The largest parts of the book are two major lists. The first list is a record of grass species for each county; the second documents the counties where a particular species has been collected.
Data presented clearly indicate that the Poaceae, the most economically important of all plant families, is poorly collected across the state. Distribution of cultivars, ornamentals, and noxious or invasive weedy species, as well as numerous native perennial taxa, are poorly documented. Even common species need collecting. The authors hope that this work will stimulate collection of Texas grasses and that specimens will be properly preserved in Texas herbaria.
This book will assist in concentrating and focusing collectors, whether they are botanists, taxonomists, gardeners, naturalists, conservationists, environmental consultants, researchers, students, 4H and FFA members, or other plant enthusiasts. This compilation is intended to be a baseline upon which new and additional information can build. A website (http://essmextension.tamu.edu/plants/grasses) is available to report new county records documented by voucher specimens.