174 



MONOCOTyLEDONS 



llower in order to make it open in proper time. It would be 

 quite useless for it to open during the rain, for the rain would 



wash the flower-dust away, a-nd the pistil 

 could not be fertilized. The two lodi- 

 cules swell when the sun shines warmly 

 on the flowers and press the glumes 

 slightly open, so that the six stamens 

 can protrude their anthers. The wind 

 then takes the pollen and carries it to 

 the next flower, which catches it readily 

 with its featliery styles. After this the 

 anthers fall oft", the lodicules shrink, and 

 the glumes close again, like two lids, and 

 under their protection the fruit ripens. 

 The husks remain on the seed even when 

 the latter drops from the plant. They 

 keep the seed nice and dry. When it is 

 sown in wet land and has absorbed mois- 

 ture, the husks keep the moisture with- 

 in them for the growth of the embryo even 

 when the soil Ijecomes dry for a while. 

 6. Enemies. — From the seed-bed to 

 the granary this plant is surrounded 

 by a host of enemies, against wliom the cultivator has to wage 

 war: numberless ill-weeds e. (j., the much-dreaded Isclucmum 

 rugosum, misappropriate its light, space, and food in the held; 

 parasitic Fungi, of which Rust, Smut and Bunt may chiefly be 

 mentioned, settle on culm, l)lade and flower; grubs and other 

 larvae of several insects feed on its roots; birds and other animals 

 eat away the ripening grain; and even in the godowns rats, 

 white-ants, the grain weevil, and other uninvited guests can do 

 a great deal of damage to the stored rice. 



Fig. 161. — The flower of the 



Paddy plant. The glumes 



are removed so as to shew the 



two lodicules and the inner, 



reproductive organs. 



Other Grasses. 



1- Wheat (Triticmn vulfjare, Plate No. 026 — Kan. Godi; 

 M<d. Kotampam: T<im. Grxlumai; Tel. Godhumalu). Among the 

 cereals, cultivated in India, Wheat comes next in importance to 



