CONSPECTUS OF THE ORDERS, xi 
_by abortion, outer usually herbaceous, inner petaloid. Embryo horseshoe-shaped. 
Aquatic or marsh herbs. Leaves usually radical. 
CLIIL. NarapacEz. Flowers monecious, dicecious, or hermaphrodite. Perianth 
regular, membranous, or absent ; segments 2—4, valvate. Embryo curved or straight, 
thick at the radicular end. Aquatic herbs of various habit. 
Series vii. Glumaceve.— Flowers sessile, solitary within imbricate bracts or 
glumes arranged in heads or spikelets. Perianth-segments small, scale-like, 
glumaceous or none. Ovary 1-ovuled or divided into 1-ovuled cells. Seeds 
albuminous. Herbs, except Bambusee. 
CLIV. Er1ocauLEm. Flowers unisexual, densely crowded into monecious 
involucrate heads. Perianth-segments 4 or 6, biseriate, small, hyaline, the inner 
often on a distinct stipes, scarious or membranous. Ovary 3-—2-celled; ovules 
pendulous, Embryo small, outside the albumen remote from the hilum. 
CLY. REstTiacEx. Flowers most frequently dicecious, in spikelets; bracts 
usually dry or rigid. Perianth-segments 6, regular, biseriate, glumaceous or the 
inner membranous. Ovary 1—3-celled; ovules solitary, pendulous. Embryo small, 
, outside the albumen remote from the hilum. 
CLVI. CypEracez®. Flowers uni- or bi-sexual, in spikelets; glumes imbricate. 
Perianth of 6 or fewer small scales or bristles, or absent. Ovary 1-celled; ovule 
erect. Fruit anut. Seed free from the pericarp; embryo small, within the base of 
the albumen, 
