190 JUNCALES. [Endoge.ns. 



Alliance XV. JUNCALES. — The Juncal Alliance. 



Diagnosis. — Hypogynous, bisexual, herhaceoiis-floioered, hexapetaloid Endogens, with 



abundant albumen. 



This and the Xyridal Alliance stand on the same line in the scale of organization. 

 They both consist of Endogens, which are equally related to Orders of a very low and 

 very high structure. The Juncals approach Grasses and their allies in the glumaceous 

 character of their calyx and corolla, the Xyrids in that of their calyx and bracts. 

 Some of them are absolutely \\'ithout floral envelopes, the majority have those organs 

 in the form of inconspicuous scales, and when colour or a petaline condition appears 

 among them, the parts in which it occurs are dry and sapless, as if they were mere 

 membranes or attempts at the organs they represent. The Rushes have a very minute 

 embryo, wholly destitute of all appearance of a plumule ; Orontiads have the cleft of 

 an Arum, tlirough which a plumule is easily found. The great exception to their 

 character consists in the absence of albumen from the seeds of a few genera among the 

 Orontiads ; but such plants are readily knov^Ti by their spadiceous inflorescence from the 

 exalbuminous Alismal Alliance. 



Natural Orders of Juncals. 



Flowers scattered. Embryo minute, undivided 58. Juncace^. 



Flowers spadiceous. Embryo axile, with a conspicuous cleft on one side. 59. Orontiace^. 



