542 



NATURAL ARRANGEMENT. 



471. ORDER CCX. GRAMI'NE^. 



Genera 158, Species 1071 ; Hot-house Species 119 ; Green-house Species 59 ; Hardy Ligneous Species ; 



Hardy Herbaceous Species 893. f feet ; 67 feet ; A 9 feet. 



The order of grasses is beyond doubt the most natural of all that the ingenuity of systematic botanists has 

 contrived ; it is also the most numerous in species. The inflorescence is very much alike throughout the orders ; 

 and the floral envelopes, which are bracteaj in a progressive state to the form of calyx and petals, offer few 

 striking characters by which the genera can be characterised. Hence it is that the classification of the order, 

 and its division into genera, has not only been found extremely difficult, but has given rise to much difference 

 of opinion among botanists; some of whom, adhering to the synthetical arrangement of Linnseus; admit but 

 a small number of genera, while others, admitting the analytical principles of modern science, divide it 

 into a vast number. The middle course in this, as in most other cases, is probably the just one. A subdi- 

 vision of the order into tribes has been attempted by Palisot, Trinius, Dumortier, Raspail, Kunth, Link, and 

 others; that of Link is here adopted. The general habit of grasses is so familiar to every one, that it may 

 be passed over in silence. They are remarkable for exhibiting, in no case, properties that are actually poi- 

 sonous ; possessing on the contrary, in almost all cases, wholesome and nutritive qualities. These latter are 

 especially obvious in their seeds, which always contain a farinaceous substance, mixed with a certain pro- 

 portion of glutinous matter. No one is ignorant of the various and important uses of the seeds of wheat, 

 rye, barley, oats, maize, rice, and others, and in general of all the larger kinds of grass. It must however be 

 remarked, that if the smaller sorts are not employed in like manner, it is merely on account of their minuteness, 

 and not on account of any difference in their nature ; in fact, in times of scarcity, and in half-cultivated coun- 

 tries, use has advantageously been made of Glyceria fluitans, Zizania aquatica, Jvena fatua, Digitaria san- 

 guinalis, Arrhenatherum avenaceum, .ffromus secalinus, and E lymus arenarius. It is also to be noted, that 

 the particular uses for which the seeds of certain grasses are employed, are not peculiar to them, but may be 

 obtained from all the others, with slight modifications. Thus beer is made not only from barley, but also from 

 wheat ; spirituous liquors not only from our European cerealia, but also from rice. But it must be remarked, 

 that a singular exception to the generally wholesome properties of grasses appears to exist in Z.61ium temulentum, 

 the seed of which is reported to be narcotic and inebriating, and even poisonous ; there is no doubt, however, 

 that these qualities have been greatly exaggerated ; for, in the first place, they disappear in bread or beer 

 manufactured from 7>61ium temulentum ; and secondly, in times of scarcity people have frequently lived upon 

 it. But even supposing all that has been stated upon the subject to be true, this plant will still be'found to be 

 little different from wheat, when long exposed to wet ; so well, indeed, is this known by country people, that a 

 belief exists, that in wet summers wheat is actually transmuted into rye grass. The exciting properties of the 

 oat, which are very unusual in this order, have been found to reside in the husk and not in the seed, and to 

 depend upon the presence of a minute quantity of an aromatic principle, analogous to Vanilla, lying em- 

 bedded in the envelope of the seed, and capable of being extracted by aid of alcohol. As to the deleterious 

 effects of the ergot of rye, these do not depend certainly upon any such 



aid of alcohol. 



property in the rye itself, but 



i caused 



either by the ergot disease, or, as is believed, by the parasitic fungus, from the attack of which it arises. Now 

 let us pass from the seeds of Graminea? to their stems, and we shall find a no less remarkable uniformity of 

 nature in them. They all contain, especially before flowering, a sweet sugary mucilage, which varies in quan- 

 tity in different species. The sugar cane, in which this is found in greatest abundance, not only constantly exists 

 in the most favourable condition for producing it, as it rarely flowers, but is also one of the largest grasses 

 known. The maize also abounds in sugar ; and the same substance is secreted in such abundance by the 

 Sdrghum saccharatum, that attempts have actually been made in Italy to cultivate it as the sugar cane. The 

 creeping roots of grasses, which are generally mucilaginous and demulcent, are sometimes used in medicine; 

 but they are of more importance for retaining in banks the sand of the sea shore, so as to form .artificial cliffs 

 on flat coasts, to restrain the inroads of the sea. The stems of Cymbopbgon Schcenanthus, the leaves of 

 Andropbgon citratum, the roots of Andropbgon A T ardus, and the whole plant of all the species of Anthox- 

 anthum exhale an aromatic odour, and possess slightly tonic properties. To conclude, the epidermis of grasses 

 has been found t.o contain a considerable quantity of silex. Division and seeds. 



Sfdcdtee terminates. 



472. Section 1. OPHIU V RINJE. 



lig. 0. herb. 6. 3 ft. 



278 Ophiurus Beauv. *0 

 280 Pholiurus Trin. 



32 Monerma R Br. 



279 Rottbolllia L. 



276 Micrdchloa Beauv. 



473. Section 2. LOLIA^EJE. 

 Kg. 0. herb. 19. jfc 10 ft. 



271 Z-blium L. *0 



474. Section 3. 1 

 lig. 0. herb. 1. 



176 Mirdus L. 



1 ft. 



*0 



475. Section 4. CE'NCHRINJB. 

 lig. 0. herb. 4. j^ 4 ft. 



170 Cenchrus L. 



228 Centotheca Desv. 

 282 Manisurus L, 

 281 Anthephora Schreb. 



476. Section 5. LAPPAGI'NE^E. 

 lig. 0. herb. 1. 2 ft. 



193 Zapp&go Schreb. 



477. Section 6. 



lt'g.0. herb. 7. 5 ft. 



2857 ^'gilops L. 



478. Section 7. HORDEA N CE,E. 



lig. 0. herb. 42. 18ft. 



272 'lymus L. *0 



275 7/6rdeum 7. *0 



