Nutritional Freshwater Life
84
Oryza sativa (Linnaeus)
PLANT
SEED
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Common name: Asian rice.
Distribution: Temperate East Asia,
upland areas of Southeast Asia, and
high elevations in South Asia.
Habitat: Aerobic moist soil.
Description: It is generally an annual
grass, although some varieties are
perennial. Plants typically grow in a
tuft (clump) of upright culms (stems) up
to 2 m or more tall, with long, flat leaf
blades. Flowers grow on broad, open
terminal panicles (branched clusters).
Oblong spikelets, which each contain a
single flower (that develops into a single
kernel of grain), are sparse along the
84
Oryza sativa (Linnaeus)
PLANT
SEED
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Common name: Asian rice.
Distribution: Temperate East Asia,
upland areas of Southeast Asia, and
high elevations in South Asia.
Habitat: Aerobic moist soil.
Description: It is generally an annual
grass, although some varieties are
perennial. Plants typically grow in a
tuft (clump) of upright culms (stems) up
to 2 m or more tall, with long, flat leaf
blades. Flowers grow on broad, open
terminal panicles (branched clusters).
Oblong spikelets, which each contain a
single flower (that develops into a single
kernel of grain), are sparse along the