MONOCOTYLEDONES 



215 



some species have been used for basket -making, &c., and for 

 thatching. 



Order 38. Cyperaceje, the Sedge Order. — Character. — 

 Grass-hke or rnsh-like, usually perennial kerbs. Stems solid, 

 without joints or partitions, frequently angular. Leaves without 

 ligules, and with entire or closed sheaths round the stem. 

 Flowers spiked, imbricate, hermaphrodite or unisexual, each 

 arising from the axil of 1 — 3 bracts or glumes. (The loivermost 

 glumes are frequently emjjty, that is, without floivers in their 

 axils.) Perianth absent, or existing in the female flowers in the 

 form of a tube {^perigynium)^ or as hypogynous scales or bristles. 



Fig. 988. 



Fig. 989. 



Fig. 987. 



Fig. 987. Hermaphrodite flower of a species ot 

 Olub-rush (^Scirpm), the glume having been 

 removed, h. Hypogynous setae or bristles form- 

 ing a kind of perianth, st. Hypogynous stamens 

 with 2-celled innate anthers, o. Ovary, s. Style. 



stig. Stigmas. Fig. 988. Vertical section of 



tlie fruit of a species of Carex. s. Pericarp, te. 

 Integuments of the seed. alh. Albumen. ^j7. 



Embryo. Fig. 989. Embryo of a species of 



Carex removed from the albumen, a. Lateral 

 swelling, r. Radicle, c. Cotyledon. /. Slit 

 corresponding to the plumule. 



Stamens hj^ogynous, 1 — 12, commonly 3 ; anthers 2-celled, 

 innate. Ovary 1 -celled, superior, with 1 erect anatropous ovule. 

 Fruit indehiscent, 1-seeded. Seed with fleshy or mealy albumen ; 

 embryo lenticular, enclosed in the base of the albumen. 



Diagnosis. — Grass- like or rush-like herbs with solid and 

 usually angular stems. Leaves without ligules and with entire 

 sheaths. Stamens few, hj^pogiv^ious ; anthers innate, 2-celled. 

 Ovary superior, 1 -celled ; ovule solitary, erect, anatropous. 

 Fruit indehiscent, 1-celled, 1-seeded. Embryo enclosed in the 

 base of the albumen. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of all parts of the 



