THE FLOWER 115 



The cell - contents of the periblem disappear before those of the 

 plerome, and the stamens of the 

 aborting flowers lose their contents 

 and degenerate before the ovaries. 



The essential floral organs and 

 the bracts by which they are en- 

 closed arise in succession as bulging 

 masses of meristem below the apex 

 of the young flower (Figs. 92, 93). 



The flowering glume arises first 

 in the form of a thick semicircular 

 zone surrounding the tip on the 

 anterior side. Very soon the 

 wjiorl of stamens can be recognised 

 as three rounded papillae. A little 

 later the carpel grows up as a 

 crescent-shaped ridge closely en- 

 circling the hemispherical floral 

 apex on the anterior side ; about 

 the same time the rudiments of 

 the palea and the lodicules originate 

 almost simultaneously, the latter 



FIG. 92. Median longitudinal section of a 

 young spikelet (May 27). e, Empty 

 glume ; /, flowering glume ; p, palea ; 

 /, lodicule ; , stamen ; 9 , carpel ( x 25). 



from points on the axis slightly beneath the line of insertion of the 



stamens (Figs. 92, 93). 



In a short time the rudiments of the styles 



are visible as two bluntish conical outgrowths of 

 f \' ).} the apical margins of the young carpel. The 



upper part of the carpel grow r s over and closes 



round the apex of the axis, coming into contact 



FIG. 93. Upper flowers of a young spikelet showing developing flowers. 

 /, Flowering glume ; 5, stamen ; o, ovary ( x 50). 



with it and forming a chamber in which the enclosed portion of the axis 



