490 ENDOGENOUS OR MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 



clusters, cymes, or heads. Perianth mostly dry, greenish or 

 brownish, of six leaves (sepals and petals) in two series. Stamens 

 six, or three. Ovary free, three-celled, or one-celled from the 

 placentae not reaching the axis ; their styles united into one : stig- 

 mas three. Capsule three-valved, few- or many-seeded. Albu- 

 men fleshy. Ex. Juncus (Rush). 



922. Ord, Commelynacea; (the Spiderwort Family), with usually 

 sheathing leaves ; distinguished from other Endogens (except Alis- 

 macese and Trillium) by the manifest distinction between the calyx 

 and corolla ; the former of three herbaceous sepals ; the latter of 

 as many delicate colored petals. Stamens six, or fewer : anthers 

 with two separated cells : filaments often clothed with jointed 

 hairs, hypogynous. Ovary two- or three-celled ; the styles united 

 into one. Capsule few-seeded, loculicidal. Seeds orthotropous. 

 Embryo small, pulley-shaped, partly sunk in the apex of the albu- 

 men. Ex. Commelyna, Tradescantia (Spiderwort). Mucilagi- 

 nous plants. 



923. Ord, Xyridaeeae, Swampy,- rush-like plants; with ensiform, 

 grassy or filiform radical leaves, sheathing the base of a simple 

 scape, which bears a head of flowers at the apex, imbricated with 

 bracts. Calyx of three glumaceous sepals, caducous. Petals 

 three, with claws, more or less united into a monopetalous tube. 

 Stamens six, inserted on the corolla ; three of them bearing ex- 

 trorse anthers, the others mere sterile filaments. Ovary one-celled, 

 with three parietal placentae, or three-celled : styles partly united : 

 stigmas lobed. Capsule many-seeded. Seeds orthotropous, albu- 

 minous. Ex. Xyris (Yellow-eyed Grass). 



924. Ord, Eriocaulonaceffi (the Pipewort Family). Swampy or 

 aquatic herbs, with much the aspect and structure of the preced- 

 ing ; their leaves cellular or fleshy ; their minute flowers (monoe- 

 cious or dioecious) crowded, along with scales or hairs, into a very 

 compact head : the corolla less petaloid than in Xyridaceae ; the 

 six stamens often all perfect ; the ovules and seeds solitary in each 

 cell. Ex. Eriocaulon. 



925. Ord, CyperaceSB (the Sedge Family). Stems (culms) usually 

 solid, csespitose. Sheaths of the leaves closed. Flowers one in 

 the axil of each glumaceous bract. Perianth none, or of a few 

 bristles. Stamens mostly three, hypogynous. Styles two or three, 

 more or less united. Fruit an achenium. Embryo small, at the 

 extremity of the seed next the hilum. Ex. Cyperus, Scirpus, 



