SECT. II 



PHANEROGAMIA 693 



endosperm by means of its cotyledon ; this forms the SCUTELLUM and 

 in germination serves as an absorbent organ by means of Avhich the 

 reserve materials in the endosperm are taken up by the seedling 

 (Fig. 750). 



The most important economic plants belonging to this order are the Cereals 

 (Fig. 751), Wheat, Triticum. Spikelets single, with t^vo or more flowers ; glumes 

 broadly ovate. Koeknicke distinguishes as species of "Wheat, (1) Tr. vulcjare, with 

 a number of sub-species ; (2) Tr. polonicum ; (3) Tr. monoeoccum. Rye, Secale 

 cereale ; spikelets single, 2-flowered ; glumes acute. Barley, Hordeura vulgare ; 

 sjnkelets one-flowered, in groups of three ; in the sub-species H. hexasticlMni 

 and H. teti'astichum all the rows of spikelets are fertile, in R. distichum only the 

 middle row. Oat, Avena sativa. Maize, Zca mais. The above are all cultivated 

 in temperate climates, the Maize, largely in America, the others also in "Western 

 Asia, and the south-east of Europe. In the wild state only Triticum aegilopodioides 

 (from which Tr. //io?iococcit»i is derived), Secale montcmum, and Hordeums'ponkuieuni 

 (allied to H. distichum) are known. In these wild forms, the spikelets fall from 

 the rhachis at maturity, a character that would be unsuitable in cultivated forms. 

 The most important tropical food-plant of the order is Eice, Oryza, sativa (Fig. 

 753), which is largely cultivated to the limits of the warmer temperate regions, 

 and, when suflScient moisture is available, yields an enormous harvest. In Africa, 

 several varieties of Millet, Aiulropocjoii Sorghum, are cultivated, and it forms the 

 most important cereal for that continent. Fanicura miliaceiom and P. italicum, 

 of Asiatic origin, are still cultivated, though to a diminished extent, in the 

 Mediterranean region. The Sugar-cane, Saccharuni officinarum, is another 

 important food-plant ; it is a perennial, growing more than six feet high, and 

 occurs in tropical Asia. The sugar-cane is cultivated in all tropical countries, 

 and cane-sugar is obtained from the sap expressed fi'ora the solid stem. 



Among the most important of our meadow-grasses may be mentioned 

 Agrustis alba, Alopecurus pratensis, AiitJioxuiithum odoi-atum, Arrhenathcrum 

 elatius Avena flavescens, A. puhescens, Briza media, Dactylis glomerata, Holcus 

 lanatus, Loliuni pierenne, Phlcum p'ratense, Poa pratensis, and species of Aira, 

 Bromus, Calamagrostis, Festuca, Melica, etc. The tropical species of Bambusa, 

 which grow to the height of trees, are utilised in many ways ; from the stems 

 are constructed houses, walls, flooring, ladders, bridges, cordage, water -vessels, 

 cooking utensils, water-pipes, etc., and the plant is indispensable in the countries 

 in which it occurs. 



Poisonous. — Loliicm temulentum (Fig. 754) has its fruits sometimes infested 

 with fungal hyphae. These fruits owing to the alkaloids they contain are poisonous 

 but fruits free from fungus are harmless (^^) ; these plants are both annuals, and 

 can be distinguished by the absence of sterile shoots from the common Lolium 

 perenne and L. multiflorum. 



Official. — AiivLrM (starch) is obtained from Triticum satimtm, Oryzco sativa, 

 etc. ; Saccharum officinarum provides sacchaeum. 



Order 3. Spadieiflorae 



The common character of this order is aftbrded by the peculiar 

 inflorescence ; this is a spike with a thick, swollen, often fleshy axis 

 and is termed a spadix. The flowers are mostly diclinous, 

 monoecious or more rarely dioecious. 



