Lj. TRIUKIDACEAE — l6. GRAMIXEAE yg. 



numerous, distinct ; styles lateral ; ovules solitary, erect, inverted. Fruits 

 dehiscing by a longitudinal slit. 



Genus i, species 3. West Africa and Seychelles. (Including Seychellaria 

 Hemsl.) Sciaphila Blume 



ORDER GLUMIFLORAE 

 FAMILY 16. GRAMINEAE 



Stem usually herbaceous and hollow between the nodes. Leaves alternate,, 

 usually linear and furnished at their base with a sheath split open on one side 

 and ending in a ligule. Inflorescence consistmg of spikelets, rarely of single- 

 flowers, usually enclosed by 2 glumes (outer or empty glumes) and arranged 

 in spikes, racemes, or panicles. Flowers in the axil of the flowering glume- 

 (or valve), subtended b}^ the usually 2-keeled palea and sometimes by one or 

 two, rarely more, minute lodicules. Perianth none. Stamens i — 6, usually 3. 

 Anthers opening by 2 slits or pores. Ovary i-celled. Ovule i, erect or later- 

 ally affixed, slightly curved, with the micropyle turned downwards. Styles 2, 

 rarely 3 or i. Fruit indehiscent ; pericarp usually dry and adnate to the seed. 

 Embryo outside the copious albumen. — Genera 205, species 1600. "'Glasses.'" 

 (Plate 8.) 



1. Spikelets i-flowered, rarely 2-flowered, the upper flower fertile, the lower 



male or barren and inserted immediately below the fertile one. Axis- 

 of the spikelet not produced beyond the fertile flower, jointed below the 

 outer glumes or not jointed ; ripe spikelets falling entire from their 

 stalk or from the rachis of the spike, sometimes together with a part of 



it. [Subfamily PANICOIDEAE.] 2- 



Spikelets either i -flowered with the axis produced beyond the flower or 

 jointed above the outer glumes, which therefore persist when the spikelet 

 falls off, or 2-flowered with both flowers fertile or with a distinct interval 

 between the flowers or with a continuation of the axis beyond the flowers, 

 or 3- to many-flowered 65 



2. Spikelets distinctly compressed from the side. Stamens usually 6. Seed 



with a linear hilum. [Tribe ORYZEAE.] 3 



Spikelets compressed from front to back or not distincth' compressed. 

 Stamens usually i — 3. Seed usually with a pimctiform hilum. . . 7 



3. Spikelets in terminal clusters of two or three, connate, at length hardened. 



Stamens 3. Style undivided, papillose. — Species i. North Africa.. 

 One source of the Esparto-grass, which is used for plaiting and paper- 

 making Lygeum L. 



Spikelets in panicles. Stamens nearly always 6. Style 3-cleft or 3-parted, 

 with feathery stigmas 4 



4. Spikelets unisexual ; i — 2 sessile female and a stalked male on each branch 



of the p)anicle. Flowering glume globose. Stamens 6. Style i, 



