484 PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 
flowers of both of these families are devoid of sepals and petals 
but possess scale-like structures called glumes and palets which 
enclose one or more flowers. The grasses and cereals have 
stems with solid nodes and hollow internodes whereas the sedges 
have stems which are solid throughout. The above ground 
stem of a sedge is usually 3-sided, unlike any grass stem. The 
fruit of a grass is a caryopsis whereas that of a sedge is an akene. 
GRAMINE# OR Grass Famity.—Mostly herbaceous (Triticum, 
Sorghum, Saccharum, cereals, etc.), rarely 
5) , shrubby (Arundinaria, etc.), more rarely 
arborescent (Bamboo, etc.) plants, vary- 
ing in height from 2 in. to 100 ft. 
Stems, leaves and even parts of flowers 
“often abounding in silica. The leaves are 
alternate, with long split sheaths usually 
open on the side opposite the lamina, and 
a ligule. Flowers small, generally her- 
maphroditic, occasionaly moncecious 
(Corn and Rice Grass) and usually borne 
Fic. 362.—Diagram of a IN sptkelets arranged along a spike-axis 
typical spikelet. n¥ lower called a rachis, but sometimes in panicles 
glume; @Y upper glume; Oat) 8h : . : 
nl outer palet; ®J, inner ( ) eS ikelet is the unit of a gr ass 
palet; #, lodicule; st, sta- Mflorescence. A typical spikelet consists 
mens; J-/, rachilla; 2, lateral Of a shortened zigzag axis (rachilla) bear- 
axes. (Somewhat modified ing floral leaves. The two lowest floral 
after Warming.) l : h ikel 
eaves in each spikelet are barren and 
termed glumes. The succeeding floral leaves are of bract-like 
character, each supporting one flower in its axil, and are called 
outer palets or lemmas. Each flower has a bracteole which is 
placed on the inside, opposite and with its back to the rachilla 
and known as the inner palet. Immediately following the inner 
palet are 2 delicate scales called Jodicules, 3 stamens (rarely 
1, 2 or 6) with versatile anthers that are usually notched at each 
end and a single pisti/, having a unilocular, superior ovary with 
one ovule and usually 2 styles, with simple or spirally branched 
(plumose) stigmas. Fruit, a caryopsis or grain. Seeds albu- 
minous with starchy endosperm and a small embryo at the base 
and opposite the hilum side. Seed coat fused with fruit coat to 
Paes eee 
