11 



sectioned serially, and stained in Heidenhain's Iron-alum 

 haeniatoxylin and safranin ; brazilin and safranin ; or 

 safranin, gentian violet and orange G. The first gave the 

 best results. At some stages, especially after the stif¥ 

 hairs on the ovary and the dehiscing layer of the anther 

 had appeared, it was extremely difficult to cut even 

 tolerable sections. 



INFLORESCENCE AND FLOWER. 

 Wheat flowers are found in spicate inflorescences 

 arranged on the axis in two or more rows of 3-5 flowered 

 spikelets. The flowers are sessile, borne alternately upon 

 rachilla?, and two large glumes enclose the whole of the 

 flowers in a spikelet. Each flower is inserted in the axil 

 of the outer palea or flowering glume, and is subtended 

 by the inner or superior palea (Figs. 1-2). Of the 

 paleae, one or both may terminate in a long pointed awn 

 giving the characteristic feature to " bearded wheat." 

 The inner palea is succeeded by two small bracts, or 

 lodicules, generally looked upon as constituting the 

 perianth of the flower, three such members being found 

 in some grasses, as Stifa, the feather grass, and larger 

 grass-like plants, as bamboo:.. 



The bases of the lodicules become enlarged by the 

 development of masses of parenchyma, and at the time of 

 flowering become much swollen, press open the glumes, 

 and the stamens being extruded, often with considerable 

 force, hang outside the flower by their long slender 

 filaments. 



Of the three stamens inserted at the base of the 

 i)\ar)-, two are placed in the postero-lateral plane, the third 

 is median. Opposite to this is inserted the single carpel, 

 the body of which constitutes the one-celled ovary ; its 

 upper portion being prolonged into the style bears two 



