i H 



GRAMINACEiE. 



GKAMINA 





one the grames there are both land and water, but no marine 

 plant*. They occur in every mil, in society of other* anil 

 the but in mch a degree as entirely to occupy considerable districts. 

 Sand appear* to be lew favourable to this class, but even this has 

 specie* nearly peculiar to itself. The diffusion of this family has 

 almost no other limit* than those of the whole vegetable kingdom. 

 Grasses occur mul.-r the equator, and Ayrottit alyitla was one of the 

 few plants which Phipps met with on Spitzbergen. On the mountains 

 of the south of Europe Pun diiticka and other grasses ascend almost 

 to the mow line, and on the Andes this is also the case with P. 

 ntalmlauit and P. dactyloida, Jkyeuxia riyida, and Fatu-.a datyant/ia. 

 The greatest difference* between tropical and extra-tropical grasses 

 appear to be the following : 



"1. The tropical grasses acquire a much greater height, and occasion- 

 ally assume the appearance of trees. Some species of Bambiua are 

 from 50 to 60 feet high. 



" 2. The leave* of the tropical grasses are broader and approach 

 more in form to those of other families of plants. Of this the genus 

 Patpaltu affords many examples. 



" 3. Separate sexes are more frequent in the tropical grasses. Zea, 

 Soryk*m, Andropoyon, Olyra, Anthutiria, Itchtemum, jKgilops, and 

 many other genera which only occur in the torrid zone, and are there 

 found in perfection, are monoecious or polygamous. Uolcva is 

 perhaps the only extra-tropical genus with separate sexes. 



" 4. The flowers are softer, more downy, and elegant 



" 5. The extra-tropical grasses on the contrary far surpass the tropical 

 in respect of the number of individuals. 



" That compact grassy turf, which especially in the colder parts of 

 the temperate zone* in spring and summer composes the green 

 meadows and pastures, is almost entirely wanting in the torrid zone. 

 The grasses there do not grow crowded together, but like other 

 planta, more dispersed. Even in the southern parts of Europe the 

 assimilation to the warmer regions in this respect is by no means 

 inconsiderable. 



" Antnilo donax by its height reminds us of the Bamboo, Saccharum 

 Ravama, S. Tcneri/a, Imperata arundinacea, Lagunu ovatut, Lygeum 

 tparlum, and the species of Andropoyon, JKgilopi, &o., by separate 

 sexes exhibit tropical qualities. The grasses are also less gregarious, 

 and meadows seldomer occur in the south than in the north of Europe. 

 The generality are social plants. 



" The distribution of cultivated grasses is one of the most interest- 

 ing of all subjects. It is determined not merely by climate but 

 depends on the civilisation, industry, and traffic of the people, and 

 often on historical event*. Within the northern polar circle agricul- 

 ture i* found only in a few places. In Siberia grain reaches nt the 

 utmost only to 60, in the eastern parts scarcely above 55', and in 

 Kamtachatka there is no agriculture even in the most southern parts 

 (51). The polar limit of agriculture on the north-west coast of 

 America appears to be somewhat higher, for in the more southern 

 Russian possessions (57 to 52") barley and rye come to maturity. 

 Only in Europe, namely in Lapland, does the polar limit reach an 

 unusually high latitude. Beyond this dried fish, and here and there 

 potatoes, supply the place of grain. 



" The grains which extend farthest to the north in Europe are barley 

 and oats. These, which in the milder climates are not used for bread, 

 afford to the inhabitants of the northern parts of Norway and Sweden, 

 of a part of Siberia and Scotland, their chief vegetable nourishment 

 Rye is the next which becomes associated with these. This is the 

 prevailing grain in a great part of the northern temperate zone, 

 namely in the south of Sweden and Norway, Denmark, and in all the 

 lands bordering on the Baltic, the north of Germany, and part of 

 Siberia. In the latter another very nutritious grain, buckwheat, is 

 very frequently cultivated. In the zone where rye prevails wheat is 

 generally to be found, barely being here chiefly cultivated for the 

 manufacture of beer, and oat* supplying food for the hones. To these 

 there follows a zone in Europe and Western Asia where rye disappears, 

 and wheat almost exclusively furnishes bread. The middle and the 

 south of France, England, part of Scotland, a part of Germany, 

 Hungary, the Crimea, and Caucasus, as also the lands of middle Asia, 

 where agriculture is followed, belong to this zone. Here the vine is 

 also found, wine supplant* the use of beer, and barley is consequently 

 les* raised. Next comes a district where wheat still abounds, but no 

 longer exclusively furnishes bread, rice and maize becoming frequent 

 To thin zone belong Portugal, Spain, part of France on the Mediter- 

 ranean, Italy and Greece, further, the countries of the East, Persia, 

 Northern India, Arabia, Egypt, Nubia, Barbory, and the Canary 

 Inlands ; in these latter countries however the culture of maize or 

 rice toward* the south is always more considerable, and in some of 

 them several kind* of Soryktm (Doura) and I'un Abyuinica come to 

 be added. In both these regions of wheat, rye only occur* at a con- 

 siderable elevation, oat* however more seldom, and at last entirely 

 disappear, barley affording food for horse* and mules. In the eastern 

 part* of the temperate zone of the old continent, in f 'hina and Japan, 

 our northern kinds of grain are very unfrequr-nt, and ric is found to 

 predominate. The cause of this difference between the cant an.) the 

 west of the old continent appears to be in the manner* and pecu- 

 liaritie* of the people. In North America, wheat and rye grow as in 

 Europe, but more sparingly. Mais* i* more reared in the western 



than in the old continent, and ric predominate* in the southern 

 provinces of t ... In the torrid 



nates in America, rice in Asia ; and both these grains in nearl y 

 quantity in Africa. 



" The cause of this distribution is, without doubt, historical, for 

 Asia is the native country of rice, and America of niiizo. IP 

 situations, especially in the neighbourhood of the tropics, wheat is 

 also met with, but always subordinate to these other kinds of grain. 

 Besides rice and maize there are in the torrid zone several kind* of 

 grain as well as other plants which supply the inhabitant* will, 

 either used along with them or entirely occupying t li.'ir | 

 are, in the new continent, Yams (Dioicorea alata), the >l 

 (Jatropha, Manihot), and the Batatas (Cmrolrultu 1 Its root 



of which and the fruit of the Pisang (Banana Mtua) funiinh universal 

 articles of food ; in the same zone in Africa, Uoura ( - ' 'i*ang, 



Manihot, Yams, and A radii* liypogira; in the Kist Indies ami on the 

 Indian Islands, Kleiuinc eoracana, E. ttri an frumcntactHM, 



several Palms, and Cycadacea which produce the Sago, Pisang, Yams, 

 Batatas, and the Bread-Fruit (Artocarput incita). In the islands of 

 the South Sea, grain of every kind disappears, it* place 

 upplied by the bread-fruit tree, the pisacg, and Tacca pin 

 the tropical parts of Australia there is no agriculture, the inhabitant* 

 living on the produce of the sago, of various palms, and some specie* 

 of Arum. 



" In the high lands of South America, there is a distribution 

 similar to that of the degrees of latitude. Maize indeed grows to 

 the height of 7200 feet above the level of the sea, but only pr< 

 nates between 3000 and 6000 feet of elevation. Below 3u< 

 it is associated with the pisang and the above mentioned vegetables, 

 while from 6000 to 9260 feet the European grains abound : wh 

 the lower regions, rye and barley in the higher, along with which 

 Chenopodia.m Quinoa as a nutritious plant must also be enumerated. 

 Potatoes alone are cultivated from 9260 to 12,300 feet T 

 of the tropic of Capricorn, wherever agriculture is practised, con 

 able resemblance with the northern temperate zone may be ob.- 

 In the southern parts of Brazil, in Buenoa Ayres, in Chili, at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and in the temperate zone of Australia, whrat. 

 predominates ; barley however and rye make their appearance in the 

 southernmost parts of these countries, and in Van Diemen's Land. In 

 New Zealand the culture of wheat is said to have been tried with 

 success, but the inhabitants avail themselves of the Aero.". 

 furcalum as the main article of sustenance. Hence it appears t 

 respect of the predominating kinds of grain, the earth maybe d, 

 into five grand divisions, or kingdoms the kingdom of rice, of 

 maize, of wheat, of rye, and lastly of barley and oat*. The first 

 three are the most extensive ; the maize has the greatest range of 

 temperature, but rice may be said to support the greatest numb r uf 

 the human race." Schouw, in Jameson's ' Philosophical Journal.' 



The uses of this most important tribe of plant* for fodder, food, and 

 clothing, require little illustration. The abundance of wholesome 

 frccula contained in their seeds renders them peculiarly well adapted 

 for the sustenance of man ; and if the Cereal Grasses only, such as 

 Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, Maize, Rice, and Guinea Corn, are the kinds 

 commonly employed, it is because of the large size of thi'ir grain 

 compared with that of other grasses; for none are unwholesome in 

 their natural state with the exception of Latin in temulent/ 

 common weed in many part* of England, the effects of whi 

 undoubtedly injurious. Jinmiu purgant and catkartictu are s 

 be emetic and purgative; Jiromut moll U is also unwholesom 

 Patuca ijuadridrntata is said to ba poisonous; Molinui ntria is 

 injurious to cattle ; and some other species are supposed to affect 

 the milk of cows which graze upon them. 



Among corn-plants not generally known may be mentioned EUumne 

 caracana, called Natchnee on the Coromandel coast, and Nagla Ragee, 

 or Mand, elsewhere in India; Sctaria Gcrmanica, yielding German 

 millet; and J'n>iicm frumentaceum. There are many other specie*. 



The value of grasses as fodder for cattle is hardly loss than that of 

 corn fur human food. The best fodder-grasses of Europe are usually 

 dwarf species, or at least such as do not rise above four nr fi . 

 from the ground. The most esteemed are Lolium prrcnnc, J' 

 and Peilnen pralentu ; Cynotwtu crittntui, and various species of Poa 

 and dwarf Patnca. The fodder-grasses of Brazil are of far- 

 gigantic stature, and perfectly tender and delicate. In Australia 

 the favourite is Anthislirin aiutrali*, or Kangaroo Grass; in India 

 A. ciUala is also in request; but the most common Indian foddn- 

 grasa i* Doorba, Doorwa, or Hurryalee (Cynodon i/,/,v///.,,,i. > 

 Gram (Triptacnm dactyloida) has a great reputation as I'.i.ld.r \:\ 

 Mexico ; and attention has lately been directed to the Tussac Grass of 

 the Falkland* (Pettuca JlabeUata), a species forming tufts five or six 

 feet high, and said to be unrivalled for its excellence a* food for cattle 

 and hone*. 



The fragrance of our sweet Vernal Grass is by no means confined to 

 it; other species pomes* the same quality, which is connected with 

 the presence of aromatic secretions, which li .-ivc in part recomtn 

 grasses to the notice of medical prociM "igar is a p 



product of grasses. It exists in great quantities in the Su^ar-Cono 

 (HatcHarum officinal-urn). Maize so abounds in it, that it* cultivation 

 ha* been proposed iu lieu of tho sugar-cane. 



