CHAPTER XV. THE SPERMAPHVTA. 38 1 



indeterminate and others a determinate anthotaxy ; some flowers 

 having a large, showy perianth, others, an inconspicuous or 

 even a glumaceous one ; some with symmetrical, others with 

 asymmetrical flowers, and some with a superior, others with 

 inferior ovaries. Moreover, they differ among themselves con- 

 siderably in habit, some being woody, others herbaceous ; 

 some having an erect, others a trailing or climbing habit, and 

 a few, as the Yuccas and Dracaenas, have large woody trunks, 

 which increase in thickness by means of a meristem area in the 

 cortex. See Fig. 449. The great majority produce narrow or 

 grass-like, parallel-nerved leaves, but a few, as the Smilaxes and 

 Yams, bear broad, reticulate ones. They agree with each other, 

 however, in their two-whorled perianths, their trilocular ovaries 

 and their albuminous seeds. The group includes the Lilies, 

 Amaryllises, Dracaenas, Yuccas, Smilaxes, Yams, Bloodworts, 

 Bromelias, Irises, Pickerel-weeds and Taccas. 



The Monocotyledons include many species which are highly 

 prized for their usefulness, as well as many others which are 

 valued for ornament. The Grasses, containing as they do, the 

 cereals, Wheat, Rye, Barley, Rice, Oats and Maize, and sugar- 

 producing plants, such as the Sugar-cane and Sorghum, besides 

 many valuable pasture plants, must take first rank among all the 

 families of plants for their utility. The Palms are highly useful 

 to the tropical races of mankind, furnishing them with food, 

 building materials, cordage, sugar, and, in fact, in some cases, 

 with nearly all the necessaries of life. Among the most useful 

 species are the Date, Cocoanut, Sago, Bastard Sago, Palmyra 

 and Areca-nut Palms. The Bananas and Cannas are also 

 important food-producing plants, and some of the Yams and 

 Lilies also afford valuable food products. 



The Lilies yield such important medicines as Aloes, Squill, 

 Garlic, Yeratrum viride, Cevadilla and Colchicum ; from the 

 Smilaxes we obtain Sarsaparilla ; from the Irises, Orris-root, 

 Blue-flag and Saffron ; from the Cannas, Arrowroot ; from the 

 Gingers, common Ginger-root, Curcuma, Galangal, Cardamom 

 fruits, and Grains of Paradise ; from the Orchids, Salep, Vanilla 

 and Cypripedium ; and from the Arums, Indian Turnip, Calamus 

 and some other drugs of less importance. 



Among those cultivated and admired for their beauty are the 



