278 



SWEET VERNAL GRASS. 



tion the cotyledon never arises above the ground but remains 

 with the seed. 



Let a few kernels of corn be placed on a lock of cotton in 

 a glass of water. After a day or tAVO the albumen has soft- 

 ened, swelled, and become sweetish. In 3 days the radicle 



(r) has pushed out and 

 turned downward, while 

 the cotyledon has extend- 

 ed itself backward a little, 

 and freed the end of the 

 plumule, but still holding 

 fast above to the albumen 

 whence yet comes its nour- 

 ishment. Another day, the 

 plumule pushes out from 

 the cotyledon, and begins 

 to ascend as the first leaf, 

 while the radicle grows' 

 and develops some side 

 rootlets. Another day we 

 see a second leaf push out 

 from the first, both still 

 rolled up (convolute), and 

 so on, one after another, 

 in the order of a spiral. 



Classification. The order of the Grasses GRAMIKE^B 

 includes 300 genera and nearly 4000 species, and limited 

 as follows : 



Plants endogenous, with fibrous roots. 



Culms hollow between the solid joints. 



Leaves alternate, on open or split sheaths, with a ligule. 



Flowers in spikelets with alternate glumes and pales. 



Stamens 3 (rarely 1-6), exserted, versatile. 



Ovary with 2 plumous stigmas and one ovule. 



Fruit a caryopsis, with flowery albumen. 



4, Germination of Maize (or Indian Corn) 

 o, the kernel or albumen ; r, the radicle ; p 

 plumule. 



