304 GLUMACEJE. 



lias become tassel-shaped. The main stalk also lengthens 

 greatly, and coils itself round and round until it elevates the 

 fructification out of the water. When the seeds are ripe the 

 stem draws itself down and hides the whole cluster in the mud. 

 The Tassel-grass grows in the salt-water ditches about Clevedon, 

 and in the Loe Pool. 



I have never found the Horned Pondweed (Zannichellia 

 paliistris). It has a thread-like stem and grassy leaves, small 

 axillary flowers ; the male consisting of one stamen with no 

 calyx or corolla, and the female of a calyx of one sepal, and 

 four styles. The whole plant lives under water. 



The Grasswrack (Zostera marina), is common in the sea and 

 salt ditches. Its tiny flowers seem to emerge from a sheath in 

 the long grassy leaves, and consist in one style and two stigmas. 



The extensive alliance of GLTJMACEOUS plants is divided into 

 two orders 1st, the Sedges ; 2nd, the Grasses. 



The Sedges differ from the Grasses in their stems, leaves, 

 and flowers. The stem of Grasses is generally hollow and 

 round ; while that of Sedges is solid and angular. The over- 

 lapping leaves of Grass open on one side ; but as the stem 

 emerges from the leaf of Sedges, the base of the leaf forms a 

 perfect cylinder. Grasses have chaffy calyces and corolla, but 

 in the Sedge the male flower has only a bract, and the female 

 a few bristles to serve the purpose of calyx and corolla. We 

 cannot boast of the uses of this Sedge tribe. 



The Bullrush and others of the tribe are used for making 

 mats and the bottoms of chairs, and they are greatly esteemed 

 for thatching. 



The Pitsi, or Water-chestnut, which the Chinese grow in 

 tanks and eat for dessert, is a member of this tribe. 



The Cyperus of the Nile supplied the paper of ancient times. 

 Pliny tells us that the plant was separated into thin slices by a 

 fine point ; these were brought into contact by their edges, 

 transverse slips were then laid upon them, and then the whole 

 was sprinkled with Nile crater and submitted to pressure. 



