132 



The Plant World. 



er, or wide spreading apart of the glumes, as in the case of certain 

 other species of grasses. Before blooming the anthers lie close 

 together parallel with the long axis of the flower and closely 

 cml)racing the folded stigmas. As the anthers are pushed out 



l"i^. 1 .— DilTtrcnt blajjc^ in '.lie hloi.iniiiy of individual 

 flowers of timfithy. 



by the fdamcnts during the ])rocess of blooming the\- carr\- 

 along the stigmas until thev have com])leteIy emerged from the 

 nuter glumes, when thev separate siifficiently to free themselves 

 from the stigmas which spread out and make no further develoj)- 

 ment. The filaments continue to enlogate until the\- have 

 reached their maximum length. (Fig. 1). 



From the time the anthers begin to emerge from the glumes 

 until tlic'\ arc fullv extended occupies from three-quarters of an 

 hoar to one hour. Dehiscence usually takes place in about 

 one-half luiur after blooming is completed so that the whole 

 process of bkxMuing and dehiscence of the anthers is accom- 

 plished within an hour and a half. The junubers of da}" required 

 for the blooming of a single head, i. e., the time between the 

 opening of the first and the last flowers on the same head, varies 

 somewhat according to the individuality of the plant and the 

 climatic conditions which prevail during that period. In the 

 following table are given the results of observations on twenty - 

 five heads, five from each of five plants: 



