CHAPTER XVI. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE MONOCOTYLEDONS. 



IN the following chapter no attempt will be made to give an 

 exhaustive account of the characteristics of each division of 

 the monocotyledons, but only such of the most important ones 

 as may serve to supplement our study of the special one already 

 examined. The classification here, and this is the case through- 

 out the spermaphytes, is based mainly upon the characters of 

 the flowers and fruits. 



The classification adopted here is that of the German botan- 

 ist Eichler, and seems to the author to accord better with our 

 present knowledge of the relationships of the groups than do 

 the systems that are more general in this country. Accord- 

 ing to Eichler's classification, the monocotyledons may be 

 divided into seven groups; viz., I. Liliifloroe,; II. Enantio- 

 blastce; III. Spadiciftorce ; IV. Glumacece ; V. Scitaminece; VI. 

 Gynandrce; VII. Helobice. 



OKDER I. Liliifloroe,. 



The plants of this group agree in their general structure 

 with the adder' s-tongue, which is a thoroughly typical repre- 

 sentative of the group ; but nevertheless, there is much varia- 

 tion among them in the details of structure. While most of 

 them are herbaceous forms (dying down to the ground each 

 year), a few, among which may be mentioned the yuccas 

 ("bear grass," "Spanish bayonet") of our southern states, 

 develop a creeping or upright woody stem, increasing in size 

 from year to year. The herbaceous forms send up their stems 



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