TRIANDRIA. 113 



plants, many of which have bulbous roots, and are easily 

 propagated either by the roots or seed. In this country, \v 

 have several indigenous species, one of which forms the 

 chief ornament of our meadows and low grounds, and is gene- 

 rally known under the name of Blue-flag or Flower-de-luce. 



GENUS Papyrus. A word of obscure origin. The ancient 

 Papyrus (Papyrus antiquorum,) is a grassy, aquatic plant, 

 which grows about ten feet high. The top spreads into a 

 kind of umbel, composed of many long, narrow leaves. The 

 lower part of the stalk is surrounded with long sword shaped 

 leaves. This is the plant from which the celebrated Papy- 

 rus of the Egyptians and other ancient nations, was obtained 

 Between the flesh and bark of the thick part of the stalk, 

 there grows a membrane, which being stripped off in the 

 form of narrow pieces, or ribbons, was united into sheets by 

 pressure, and then dried in the sun. Many such sheets made 

 the rolls on which the ancient manuscripts were written. 

 The plant is indigenous in the swamps of Egypt and Ethio- 

 pia, and in England has been cultivated in cisterns of water, 

 with rich mud at the bottom. 



ORDER II. DIGYNIA. Stamens 3. Styles 2. 



GENUS Avena. The Oat. The common Oat is a well 

 known grain which, in this country, is raised only as the food 

 of horses. In some parts of Europe, it however forms a 

 portion of the bread of the poor. It grows best in cold cli 

 mates. The Wild Oat, called also the hygrometic Oat, 

 (Avena steriUs,) has already been described as a curiosity, 

 on account of its twisting and untwisting as it is exposed to 

 dryness or moisture. This grows wild in most parts of 

 North America. 



GENUS Triticum. Wheat. Triticum is said to come from 

 tritum, triture, which signifies to wear down, or reduce to 

 powder in a mortar, this being the original mode of converting 

 Wheat into flour. There are, at least, fifteen species of 

 Wheat, and perhaps many more. There are also several 

 varieties of the common Wheat, some of which are preferred 

 in one country, and some in another. This grain is almost 

 every where cultivated, both in the temperate and torrid 

 zones. It grows well on plains to the 45th degree of north 



What is said of the papyrus, and the mode of forming the rolls, on 

 which ancient manuscripts were written ? From what circumstar.ee does 

 triticum derive its name ? 



10* 



