1035 



GRAMINACE/E. 



GRAMINACE.. 



1086 



the ' Agrostographia synoptica ' of Kunth, and to brief characters of 

 its tribes as they stand iu the ' Genera Plantarum ' of Endlioher. 



General Character. Roots in all cases fibrous; stem, called culm 

 by some authors, cylindrical, rarely compressed, varying in length 

 from a few inches, as in Knappia, agrostidea, to 80 or 90 feet, as in 

 the Bamboo ; usually fistular, except at the joints, where it is always 

 solid ; sometimes solid throughout, as in the Sugar-Cane ; coated with 

 silex, which is also secreted occasionally in lumps in the hollows of 

 the stem under the form of the opalescent substance called 'tabasheer;' 

 in most cases only of annual duration, but sometimes shrubby or 

 arborescent. Leaves one to each node, with a sheathing petiole, the 

 limb membranous, usually narrow ; the sheath quite surrounding the 

 stem, slit on one side, usually with a ligula at the apex. Spikelets 

 terminal, panicled, racemose, or spiked ; sometimes immersed in the 

 thickened rachis ; very seldom several fascicled, or united together, 

 and surrounded by a general spathe. Flowers hermaphrodite, or 

 polygamous, sometimes monoecious, very rarely dioecious, destitute of 

 true calyx or corolla, surrounded by a double set of bracts, the 

 outer constituting the glumes (or calyx of some authors), the inner 

 the palea; (or corolla of others) ; all together forming a distichous 

 apikelet of one or more florets. Glumes alternate, the outer usually 

 the largest and most distinctly ribbed, and often having its midrib 

 extended into a beard or awn ; sometimes both awned ; some- 

 times the lower glume only present ; occasionally both absent ; 

 these glumes are only found at the base of the spikelets, and may 

 belong to one floret only or to many. Palesc usually in pairs, and 

 alternate with each other; the lower and outer 1-3-many-veined, 

 usually keeled, awued or a wnlesa; the upper and inner usually two- 

 veined, more membranous, smaller, awnless. sometimes absent. 

 Hypogynous scales regarded by Kunth as remains of the ligula ; by 

 most other botanists as the rudiments of a corolla, usually two on 

 each side of the base of the inner palea ; sometimes a third is added 

 in front of the inner palea ; sometimes united with each other, some- 

 times deficient. Stamens hypogynous, usually definite, very rarely 

 indefinite ; if six or three, placed all round the ovary ; if fewer thau 

 three, placed next the outer palea ; filaments long and flaccid ; anthers 

 versatile, linear, bifid at each end. Ovary solitary, simple, with two 

 styles (rarely three"), each having a feathered or branched stigma, 

 one-celled, with a single ovule attached to the pericarp by the whole 

 side, or the lower part of the side next the upper palea. Fruit a 

 caryopsis iu most cases, occasionally an utriculus ; the pericarp thin 

 and membranous, in the former case adhering firmly to the seeds, in 

 the latter distinct from it. Seed containing a large quantity of floury 

 albumen, on one side of which (that next the lower palea) there lies 

 a lenticular embryo, composed of a thin cotyledon, whose edges are 

 doubled outwards over the plumula and radicle, which therefore press 

 upon the side of the pericarp next the outer palea. The plumula is 

 free, and consists of several sheaths overlying each other ; the radicle 

 is composed of several tubercles which break through the sides of the 

 embryo as soon as germination commences. 



Under this character M. Kunth assembles about 2500 species, a 

 number far below the real amount, which is probably near 4000, and 

 M. Endlicher 234 genera (now increased to 291), which are classified 

 by the latter botanist as follows : 



Tribe I. Oryzeo;. Spikelets sometimes 1-flowered, with the glumes 

 frequently absent ; sometimes 2-3-flowered, with the lower florets con- 

 sisting of but one palea, and neuter, the upper only being fertile. Palea; 

 of a stiff papery texture. Flowers often unisexual, usually hexandrous. 

 This tribe includes the following genera : 



Ittrtia. SlepharocMoa. 



Potamochloa. Oi-yza. 



Potamophila. J/ydrocMoa. 



Zizania. Jfyyroryza. 



Caryochloa. Luztola. 



Zhrharta. Tetrarrhena. 



Micnhena. Diplax. 



Pharos. Leptaspii. 



rudiment of an upper floret ; or 2-flowered, with both florets either 



hermaphrodite or male ; or 2-3-flowered, with the. terminal floret 



fertile, the rest incomplete. Glumes usually equal. Palese often 

 shining, hardened in the fruit. Styles or stigmas mostly long. It includes 

 the following genera : 



Lygeum. Zca. 



Coix. C'hiancmche. 



Selerachne. Polytoca. 



Cornucopia. Crypiii. 



Mibora. Alopecurus. 



Limnas. Bcckinannia. 



Phlcum. Fingerlmlhia. 



C/iondrol&na. Hilaria. 



Phalarit. JJiyraph'u. 



Holcw. Reynaudia. 

 Desprelzia. 



Phleum. 



Tribe III. Panicea;. Spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret being 

 incomplete. Glumes thinner than the palece, the lowermost often, 

 occasionally both, being abortive. Palese more or less coriaceous or 

 papery, usually awnless, the lower concave. Caryopsis compressed 

 from the back. It includes 



Reimaria. 

 JUiliwn. 

 Olyra. 

 Thrasya. 



Panicutn. 



Bluffia. 



Stenotaphrum. 



Seryhaasia. 



Thytanolaina. 



Opliimenns. 



Ckanuerhaphia. 



Setaria. 



Penicillaria. 



Trachyozui. 



Lappayo. 



Latipei. 



Navicnlaria. 



Spinifex. 



Paspalum. 



Amphicarpum. 



Strephium. 



ErioMoa. 



Rhynchelytruni. 



Ichnant/tus. 



Isaclme. 



Acralherum. 



Melinis. 



Cluetium. 



Berchtoldia. 



Peniiisctntn. 



Gytnnothrie. 



Cenchrus, 



Anthephora. 



Lopholepis. 



Echinolama. 



Thouarea. 



Neurachnc. 



Oryai. 



Tribe II Phalarvltat.-^ Spikelets hermaphrodite, polygamous, or 

 1 -flowered, with or without a sfpiUform 



Streptoslachys. 



Tribe IV. Stipea. Spikelets 1-flowered. Lower palea; rolled 

 inwards, awned at the apex, and usually indurated iu the fruit j awn 

 simple or trifid, usually twisted, and articulated at the base. Ovary 

 stipitate. Squamulaj usually three. Under this tribe are included^ 



Oryzopsu. Ortenia. 



Piptatlierum* Lasiagrostie. 



Dichelachme. Ort/iorapMunt. 



Macrochloa. Stipa. 



Jjriocomch Streptachne. 



Aristida* Stipagrostis> 



Tribe V. Ayrostidece. Spikelets 1-flowered, very rarely with the 

 awl-shaped rudiment of an upper flower. Glumes and palem 2, 

 membranous-herbaceous ; the upper palea usually artistate. Stigmas 

 usually sessile. This tribe includes 



