458 GRAMINE^. [part ii. 



ORDER CCX.— GRAMINEtE.— THE GRASS TRIBE. 



This very important order includes not only 

 the common Grasses, but the Bread Corns, or 

 Cereal Grasses — Wheat, Oats, Barley, Rye, and 

 Maize; and the Sugar-cane and Rice. All these 

 plants are botanically allied to the Sedges, but 

 their stems are hollow, except at the joints, 

 where they become solid ; and their leaves, 

 though sheathing the stem, do not unite round 

 it. The flowers are produced in spikes, which 

 are what are called spikelets. The glume, or 

 calyx as it was called by Linnseus, is generally 

 two-valved ; and within it are two thinner 

 smaller scales, or palese, which were called the 

 corolla by Linnaeus. Besides these, there are 

 frequently two still smaller scales within the 

 palese. There are generally three or six sta- 

 mens, the anthers of which are two-celled, and 

 forked at the extremity. There are two styles, 

 either quite distinct, or combined at the base, 

 and the stigmas are feathery. The pericarp is 

 membranaceous, and adheres to the seed, form- 

 ing a kind of caryopsides. The seeds contain a 

 great deal of albumen, which, when ground into 

 flour, becomes nourishing food. The stems, or 

 culms, are hollow and articulated; the leaves, 

 which are alternate, springing from each joint. 

 The most important genera are Wheat {Tri- 



