• OF THE SPATHA AND GLUME. 201 



its own, inadvertently called by Gsertner an involu- 

 crum, though he considers the whole as an amentum^ 

 which this very calyx proves it not to be.* Humu- 

 lus, the Hop, t. 427, has a catkin for the fertile flower 

 # only. 



4. Spatha,f. 147. Sheath, a covering which bursts 

 longitudinally, and is more or less remote from the 

 flower. This is exemplified in the Snow-drop, Ga- 

 lanthiis nivalis^ t. 167, the various species of Narcis- 

 sus, t. 17, 275 and 276, and the Arum, (100) 1. 1298. 

 The Spatha of the latter encloses a Spadix, or elon- 

 gated receptacle, common to many flowers, according 

 to the genuine Linnasan idea of this kind of calyx, 

 taken from Palm-trees. In these the Spadix is 

 branched. (101) 



5. Gluma,f. 148. Husk, the popular calyx of Grass- 

 es and Grass-like plants, of a chaffy texture. These 

 husks are usually compressed, embracing each other 

 at the base, as in Phleum pratense, t. 1076. Some- 

 times they are depressed, flattened vertically, as in 

 Brizoj t. 540 and 1316. To the husk belongs the 



* It appears moreover thai Carfiinus, the Hornbeam, has hith- 

 erto erroneously been supposed to have an amentum for the fer- 

 tile flower. The true hature of the covering of the seed, as well 

 as of the common stalk, proves it otherwise. 



(100) [The spatha of ^?-M/H trifilnjllum is inflected at the top, 

 and often elegantly striped within That of PAhos fatida ap- 

 pears with its spadix before the leaves ] 



(I j1) [The receptacle of Acorus gr Sweet Flag, is a Spadix? 

 destitute of a Spatha.] 

 BB 



