Briza

{{Short description|Genus of grasses}}

{{For|the municipality in the Czech Republic|Bříza}}

{{Distinguish|Brisa (disambiguation){{!}}Brisa}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| name = Quaking grasses

| image = Briza maxima1.jpg

| image_caption = Briza maxima

| display_parents = 4

| taxon = Briza

| authority = L.

| type_species = Briza media

| type_species_authority = L.lectotype designated by Hitchcock, Prop. Brit. Bot. 120 (1929)[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40031772 Tropicos, Briza L.]

|synonyms_ref = [http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=451156 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]

|synonyms =

• Brizochloa V.Jirásek & Chrtek
• Calosteca Desv.
• Chondrachyrum Nees
• Macrobriza (Tzvelev) Tzvelev
• Tremularia Heist. ex Fabr.

}}

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.[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358089#page/82/mode/1up Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 70-71] in Latin{{cite web |url=http://delta-intkey.com/grass/www/briza.htm |title=The grass genera of the world: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval; including synonyms, morphology, anatomy, physiology, phytochemistry, cytology, classification, pathogens, world and local distribution, and references |access-date=August 19, 2009 |author=Watson, L. and M. J. Dallwitz |year=2008 |work=The Grass Genera of the World}}Cabi, E. & M. Doğan. 2012. Poaceae. 690–756. In A. Güner, S. Aslan, T. Ekim, M. Vural & M. T. Babaç (eds.) Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi. Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını, IstanbulLonghi-Wagner, H. M. 1987. Gramineae. Tribo Poeae, in Fl. Ilust. Rio Grande do Sul. Boletim do Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul 41: 1–191Longhi-Wagner, H. M., V. Bittich, M. das G. L. Wanderley & G. J. Shepherd. 2001. Poaceae. 1: 1–292. In M. G. L. Wanderly, G. J. Shepherd & A. M. Giulietti (eds.) Flora Fanerogâmica do Estado de São Paulo. Editora Hucitec, São Paulo{{cite journal |author1=Benito Valdes |author2=Hildemar Scholz |year=2006 |title=The Euro+Med treatment of Gramineae – a generic synopsis and some new names |journal=Willdenowia |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=657–669 |jstor=3997741 |doi=10.3372/wi.36.36202|s2cid=86239547 |doi-access=free }}

The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the flowers and seedheads shake on their stalks in the slightest breeze. Some of its members are grown as ornamental plants.[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=104645 Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 256 凌风草属 ling feng cao shu Briza Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 70. 1753. ]

Briza species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora lixella.

;Species{{cite journal |author=Liliana Essi, Hilda Maria Longhi-Wagner & Tatiana Teixeira de Souza-Chies |year=2008 |title=Phylogenetic analysis of the Briza complex (Poaceae) |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=1018–1029 |pmid=18439843 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2008.03.007|bibcode=2008MolPE..47.1018E }}{{cite web |title=Briza |publisher=The Plant List |access-date=December 3, 2014 |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Poaceae/Briza/}}[http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/flora.php?genere=Briza Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Briza] includes photos and distribution maps for the three species B. maxima, B. media and B. minor.

• Briza humilis M.Bieb. – from Albania to Iran
• Briza marcowiczii Woronow – Turkey, Caucasus
• Briza maxima L. – Mediterranean, Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands; naturalized in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and certain oceanic islands
• Briza media L. – Europe, Asia, North Africa, Azores, Canary Islands; naturalized in New Zealand and parts of North America
• Briza minor 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, Airopsis, Chascolytrum, Desmazeria, Desmostachya, Distichlis, Eragrostis, Glyceria, Halopyrum, Neesiochloa, Poa, Tribolium, Trisetum and Uniola.