ORYZE^ 



191 



of 2 small glumes. Of the half-dozen species 

 only one is of importance. This is 0. saliva L. 

 (Fig. 30), the cultivated rice, an annual now 

 grown in numerous varieties throughout the 

 warmer regions of the world. 

 Rice is the most important of 

 the cereals in the sense that it 

 furnishes food to more people 

 than any other one grain. 

 The allied genus Homalocenchrus 

 is represented by several perennial 

 species in the eastern United States. 

 The spikelets resem- 

 ble those of Oryza but are 

 smaller and lack the 

 glumes. 



225. Zizania L. — Indian 

 rice. Water - rice. Tall 

 marsh-grasses, with large 

 panicles, usually growing 

 in shallow water in large 

 areas. The pistillate spike- 

 lets are long-awned and 

 erect, the staminate are 

 awnless and drooping. 

 The seeds were formerly 

 gathered by the American 

 Indians and used for food. 

 There are 3 species, Zizania palustris L. 

 (Fig. 31), the common Indian rice of the 

 United States, Z. aquatica L., a less com- paiustris. ' inflores- 

 mon species of Canada, and Z. latifolia duced. (U. s. Dept. 

 (Turcz.) Stapf, of eastern Asia. bSi' uJ' 



Fig. 30. Oryza sa- 

 t i V a. Inflorescence, 

 X 3^, spikelet, X3. 



