CHAP. Ill ] CYPERACEiE. 457 



§ II. — Glumacf^. 



These plants, instead of having a regular 

 calyx and corolla, have nothing but green and 

 brown scales, which are called glumes, to cover 

 the stamens and pistil. There are only two 

 orders belonging to this division in British 

 fields and gardens. 



ORDER CCIX._>CYPERACE/E.— THE SEDGE TRIBE. 

 These plants have solid stems, and the leaves 

 not only sheathe the stem, but grow together 

 round it, so as to form a kind of tube. The 

 flowers are arranged in heads, some of which 

 contain only male flowers, each of which con- 

 sists of a membranous scale and three stamens, 

 and others contain only female flowers. In the 

 genus Carex, the Sedge, these flowers are each 

 enclosed in a kind of bottle formed by two 

 scales growing together, and opening at the 

 top into two parts so as to show three stigmas, 

 which have only a single style. The fruit is 

 a dry, hard, triangular capsule with only one 

 seed. The most remarkable genera are Papyrus^ 

 the plant anciently used for paper; Scirpus, 

 the Club-rush, used for making the seats of 

 chairs, mats, &c. ; Eriophorum, Cotton-grass ; 

 and Cyperus. 



