427 



Order CXLII. GRAMINE^. 



Flowers hermaplirodite or unisexual, in spikclcts, which 

 consist of 3 or more (rarely 2 or 1) chaft-like glumes (scales 

 or bracts), which are arranged alternately on opposite sides of 

 the spikelet, and are convex outwardly. Two (sometimes 1 or 

 3) lowest glumes empty, often diiierently shaped from the 

 others, the succeeding or flowering glumes (lower paleje of 

 many authors) each enclosing a small scale (palea). Within 

 the palea, or between it and the flowering glume, is the real 

 flower, consisting of 2, rarely 3 or 6, microscopic scales, to- 

 gether with 3, rarely 1, 2 or 6 stamens, and 1 ovary. Scales 

 (lodicules or squamules of autliors) generally 2 and lateral. 

 Stamens with slender filaments and linear, rarely oblong, 

 3-celled, versatile anthers. Ovary 1-celled ; style divided into 

 2-3 long or short feathery stigmas, rarely simple ; ovule 1, 

 erect. Fruit a 1-seeded caryopsis (or grain), free or often 

 adherent to the palea or to both the palea and flowering glume, 

 both or one of which may be hardened ; pericarj) very thin, 

 usually closely adherent to the seed. Seed with a lateral 

 furrow ; testa extremely thin, adherent to the farinaceous al- 

 bumen and (usually equally thin) pericarp ; embryo minute, 

 at the base of the albumen.— The Grasses are annual or 

 perennial herbs, rarely arborescent, as the Bamboo, with cylm- 

 dric or compressed, never 3-angled, stems (culms), which are 

 jointed, and almost invariably hollow except at the nodes. 

 Leaves alternate, entire, parallel-veined, usually long and 

 narrow, sheathing at the base; sheathing part distinct from 

 the blade, split to its junction with the culm, and usually pro- 

 vided with a membranous ring or appendage where the blade 

 joins it. Spikelets generally arranged in terminal spikes, 

 racemes or panicles. 



The study of the great Order of Grasses, the most widely distributed of 

 all flowering jolants, and most useful to man, has occupied the attention of 

 many able botanists, who are far from agreed as to the exact nature of 

 then* floral envelopes; that is to say, as to what organs of other plants 

 they are the counterparts. The Cape genera not having been worked up 

 by Dr. Harvey, are here supplied by liis and my friend Colonel ^luni'O, 

 the only livinc^ botanist who is familiar with this difficult Order, ihe 

 arrangement, limitation, and characters of the tribes and subtribes are also 

 Colonel Munro's, and, being here for the first time published, they will be 

 studied by botanists with great interest. In adopting for the floral enve- 

 lopes the terms Flowering glumes, Palea, etc., Colonel Munro follows the 

 course adopted in the Colonial Floras, but is by no means satisfied that 

 they express truly the relationship of these organs, and is decidedly ot 

 opinion that the term lower palea should replace that of flowering glume. 

 The ordinal characters I have taken from Mr. Bentham's ♦Flora Hong- 

 kongensis.' — J. B. R. 



