GLDMIFLORJS. 



285 



A 



FIG. 28i. DiRgram of structure of: 

 A Soii-pus siluaticus ; -B Eriophorum 

 angustifolium. 



annual) herbs living in damp situations, with a sympodial rhi/ome 

 and grass-like appearance. The stems are seldom hollow, or have 

 swollen nodes, but generally triangular, with the tipper internode 

 just below the inflorescence generally very long. The leaves are 

 often arranged in 3 rows, the leaf-sheath is closed (very seldom 

 split), and the ligule is absent or insignificant. The flowers 

 are arranged in spikes (spikelets) which may be united into other 

 forms of inflorescences (chiefly spikes or racemes). The flowers 

 are supported by a bract, but have 

 no bracteoles. In some genera the 

 perianth is distinctly represented 

 by six bristles corresponding to 

 six leaves (Figs. 284 A, 286 A} ; 

 in others it is represented by an 

 indefinite number of hairs (Fig. 

 284 B), and very frequently it is 

 altogether wanting. The inner 

 u-horl of stamens is absent, and the flower has therefore 3 stamens 

 (rarely more or less than 3), the anthers are attached by their bases 

 to the jilnment (innate) and are not bifid (Figs. 286). Gynoeceum 

 simple, formed of 3 or 2 carpels ; 1 style, which is divided at the 

 extremity, as in the Juncacea?, into 3 or 2 arms ; the single loculus 

 of ihe ovary contains one basal, erect, anatropous ovule; the 

 stigmas are not feather-like. Fruit a nut, whose seed is generally 

 not united with the pericarp. The embryo is small, and lies at 

 the base of the seed in the central line, surrounded on the inner side 

 by the endosperm (Fig. 286 7>). On germination the cotyledon 

 does not remain in the seed. 



A regular perianth, with 6 scale-like perianth-leaves in 2 whirls, is found in 

 Oreoboluf. In Scirptis littoralis the perianth-leaves are spreading at the apex, 

 and divided pinuately. 



The branching of the inflorescence is o f ten the same as in the Juncaceae, and 

 supports the theory that these two orders are related. In Rhynchospora and 

 others, the "spikelets" are really only "spike-like" and to some extent compound. 



A. SCIRPEJI. HERMAPHRODITE FLOWERS. 



1. Spikelets cylindrical, the bracts arranged spirally (in 

 many rows). The lower ones are often barren, each of the others 

 supports a flower. Scirpus (Club-rush). The spikelets are 

 many-flowered; the perianth is bristle-like or absent, and does not 

 continue to grow during the ripening of the fruit (Fig. 286 A). 

 Closely allied to this is Heleocharis, with terminal spikes. 



