In most plants, the zones of growth of new plant tissue are at the tips of leaves, shoots, and roots. In grass, new tissue grows from the base of the leaves. When animals eat the top portion of the grass plant, they do not stop it from growing. Underground runners allow grass to spread over a wide area, and a fibrous mat of roots enables grass to withstand drought and fire. New grass grows at the start of each rainy season but soon withers and dies during the dry period.
Fire plays an important role in removing dead material so new plants can grow.