Classification of Plants 



177 



Carex. — Glumes overlapping, placed all around the stem. 

 The flowers are usually imperfect. 



Order Graminace^, the Grass Family. 



Stem cylindrical or compressed (not 3-angled), hollow 

 (not in Indian corn or sugar cane), with solid nodes. Leaves 

 2 -ranked, sheath split, ligule present. Flowers in the axils 

 of glumes ; perianth of two minute lodicules ; stamens 3 (some- 

 times 6) ; anthers versatile. Fruit an achene (caryopsis). 



I. II. 



Fig. 182. — I. Staminate flower. II. Pistillate flower 

 of Carex. 



Fig. 181. — Flower of Cy/^rz/i-, 

 with the parts separated. 



(From Thome and Bennett's " Structural and Physiological Botany.") 



The number of genera of this large order found in Cape 

 Colony is not great. In temperate regions grasses are low and 

 spreading ; in tropical countries the canes and bamboos form 

 tall forests ; while in dry regions grasses usually grow in tufts, 

 which allow the bare ground to be seen between them. 



This order is one of the most important groups of plants. 

 To it belong all the grains — wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, 

 and millet. The sugar obtained from sugar-cane and the 

 pasturage afforded to stock are among the benefits conferred 

 on mankind by this order. 



These plants are of world-wide distribution, and are well 



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