96 FLORAL DIAGRAMS [CH. 
be explained. Much discussion has been held regarding 
the lodicules. Functionally they are said to aid in the 
divarication of the palez when the period of anthesis 
arrives, and the stamens and stigmatic lobes are to be 
Fig. 35. Floral diagram of ordi- Fig. 36. Floral diagram of a 
nary grass. Each pair of Bamboo, showing six stamens, 
palee—i.p. inner and o.p. three inner (i.s.) and three 
outer palea—encloses three outer (a.s.), and three lodi- 
stamens (s), two lodicules (I) cules (/) in addition to the 
and the ovary. st, stigmatic ovary. i.p. inner and o.p. 
plumes. a, axis. outer palea. a, axis. 
exposed, by swelling and driving the valve-like palee 
apart. Morphologically they have been explained as 
representing the rudimentary perianth, here reduced to 
two minute scales, but in some exotic grasses (Bambusa, 
Stipa, &c.) three lodicules, or even more, are present. 
(Figs. 35, 36.) On the other hand they may be, and 
probably are, scales of the nature of minute bracteoles 
and of no significance to the flower itself. 
If this is so the flower of the grass is perfectly naked, 
