THE GRASS FAMILY, 287 



great uniformity in the structure, so that when one, say 

 wheat, is thoroughly understood, it will form a key to 

 all other kinds. 



General Description of the Grass Family. 



Herhs — Earely arborescent (Bamboos), sometimes 

 with rhizomes bearing annual hollow culms, solid at 

 the nodes. 



Leaves — Long and linear, with a "split" sheath, 

 bearing a ligule, or fringe at the top. 



Flowers — Uni- or bi-sexual in spikelets, composed 

 of glumes on opposite sides of the axis, lower glumes 

 often empty ; floret, usually consisting of flowering 

 glume and pale, 3 lodicules, 3 stamens and pistil, with 

 2 feathery stigmas. 



Fruit — A '' grain." 



