i70 



Obdkr 156.— GRAMTNEJS. 



Order CLVI. GRAMINE^E. Grasses. 



Herbs, rarely woody or arborescent, with (mostly) hollow, jointed culms ; with 

 leaves alternate, distychous. on tubular sheaths split down to the nodes, and a licfula 

 (stipules) of membranous texture where the leaf joins the sheath. Flowers in little 

 .spikelets of 1 or several, with glumes distychously arranged, and collected into 

 spikes,, racemes or panicles. Glumes, the lower pair of scales in the spikelet, alter- 

 nate, enclosing the fls. Pales (pake) the outer pair of scales of each particular flower, 

 unequal. Scales (perianth) usually 2 or 3, minute, hypogynous, distinct or united. 

 Stamens 1 — 6, commonly 3, anthers versatile, of 2 distinct cells. Ovary simple 

 witii 1 ascending ovule, 2 styles and 2 feathery stigmas. Fruit a caryopsis. Em- 

 bryo lateral, at the base of the farinaceous albumen. 



Genera 300, species about 8S00, universally diffused throughout the world, having no ether 

 limits than those that bound vegetation in general. But the species and their characters are 

 widely different in different climes. In temperate zones the grasses clothe a large portion of 

 the earth's surface with a compact, soft, green, carpet-like turf; but in tropical regions this 

 beautiful grassy turf disappears and the grasses become larger, more isolated like other plants, 

 fewer in the number of individuals, with broader leaves and more showy flowers. 



Properties. — This family doubtless contributes more to the sustenance of man and beast than 

 nil others combined. Its sweet and nutritious properties reside both in the farinaceous albumen 

 "■f the seed and in the herbage. No poisonous or even suspicious herb is found among them, 

 with the single exception of Lolium temulentum. The poisonous and medicinal Ergot or Spurred 

 Rye is only a parasitic fungus, and therefore forms no exception to this remark. The steins of 

 many grasses contain sugar, as the Maize and Sugar Cane. Silex is also a frequent ingredient. 

 To this Order belong the common grains, Maize, Wheat, Bye, Iiice, Barley, Oats, etc. The most 

 important of the cultivated grasses are Phleum or Timothy grass, several kinds of Boa, Agrostis, 

 Alopecurus, Festuca, Aira, Panicum, Cinna, Briza, eto. 



8 o 721 



FIG 721. Agrostis alba ; a I-flowered spikelet ; a, the two glumes. 2. A flower, with the 

 two i«ile:e three stamens and two plumo«s stigmas. 3. Leersia oryzoides; a flower removed 

 from its »lumes, showing its 2 hypogvnous scales, three stamens and ovary with the two stgmas. 

 4 Phleum pratense ; a 1-flowered spikelet ; <;, glumes ; I, truncate pale* ; etc. 5. Polypogon ; 

 a' 1-flowered spikelet; glumes and lower pale.-v awned. 6. llolcus lanntus ; a two-flowered 

 soikelet ; a, glumes ; b, the two flowers (upper st.-tminate). 7. Poa pratensis ; a 4-flowered spike- 

 let • a the two glumes : b. a single flower, with two paleie, etc. S. Festuca duriuscula ; a o-flow- 

 ered spikelet; a, two glumes; b, a single flower. 9. The caryopsis of Hordeum, showing the 

 embryo at the base of the copious albumen. 



