366 



THE FARMER'S REGISTER. 



with serratei] edores and surface exactly similar to 

 thai of the culm, and having a disiinct dorsal line 

 from the base to the apex, and consiiiuiing the 

 punsent scariose point. In ihe eirly part of the 

 growth of the culm the cauiine leaves ascend, 

 making an acute ansle with the stem. They 

 subsequently lall to a horizontal position, and ulti- 

 mately flag loosely down lil<e a streamer (irom the 

 mast head^of a ship. The culm is hollow or fistu- 

 lous from node to node. The radical leaves are 

 linear-lanceolate, and in all respects like the cauiine 

 leaves, except that they are much longer and nar- 

 rower, being frequently two feet long. They, 

 as well as the cauiine leaves, are frequently par- 

 tially discolored with brown (i^rrnginous blotches. 

 The peduncle or flower stalk is a rachis or a.xis of 

 inflorescence, with the nodes gradually approxi- 

 mating as they approach to the top, and its di- 

 amete? diminishing to the size of a fine thread. 

 There are generally ?i!?ie nodes <o Ihe peduncle, 

 besides the terminating spikelet of flowers. From 

 every node there proceed divaricate spikes^ in se- 

 miverticils alternating with each other. These- 

 miverticil at the lower node contains five spikes 

 generally. They divaricate horizontally at right 

 angles to the peduncle, the two forming the dia- 

 meter of the semiverticil, and the one at right 

 angles to them being longer than the two inter- 

 vening spikes. The?e spikes are then divided into 

 spikelels'flf some distance from their insertion at 

 the node. And on these spikelets and on the termi- 

 nation of the main spike grow the flowers. On the 

 spikelets there are from two to six flowers. Each 

 succeeding seniivertici! to Ihe top is formed like 

 the lowesrone on the peduncle, but the spikes are 

 shorter, and yenerally fewer in number at each 

 ascending node, so as to (brm a conical pyramid of 

 infloresce'nc.e or loose sugar loaf shaped panicle. 

 The spikes and spikeleis are finely fililorme.d to- 

 wards their extremities and tapered from their 

 junction with the stalk. The flowers are densely 

 arranged on these flatly, or compressed and dis- 

 tichoirsly placed on the rachis with their points all 

 directed to the apex of their respective spikelets, 

 and each flower and even each of the flosciili of 

 the flower having its 0W7i distinct pedicel. The 

 flower, so called because the two glumes are com- 

 mon to the three florets above them, is composed 

 of three distinct flosculi or florets, one immediately 

 above the glumes, the next alternately above it on 

 the spikelet or rachis, and the third terminating 

 the spiKelet or rachis. The glumes in their form 

 are exactly like a small portion of the end of the 

 lamina of the leaf, that is lanceolate, carina:e and 

 pungent, they are scariose at their edges near 

 their'apices. But on their dorsal line they have 

 toothed seta?, hooked from their base to their 

 apex, all the poin's inclining to the apex. These 

 hooked seice are formed like cat's claws or the 

 prickles on a rose bush. These, as Vv^ell as the ex- 

 terior valves of the pelea?, are green, in botanical 

 language, unclouded, except at their points. The 

 paleae are similar in their Ibrm to the glumes, but 

 are without the prickles on the back. Their 

 edges have a whitish tinge with a slightly reddish 

 brown color towards their points. The interior 

 palefe are more acute and of a whitish green. 

 Between the glumes and the vaK>>s and within 

 the latter also proceeding from their interior, at 

 their junction with the pcdicclp, very fine yfrach- 

 void'Tvmcnlam like baited silk floss and very 



white ascend almost to the points of the glumea 

 and palcfe. In each floret there is one stamen 

 and one dygynic pistil. When the flowers ex- 

 pand the anthers of the stamens fly out. Each 

 anther, of which of course there are three, con- 

 sists of two transformed leaflets dorsally glued 

 together or anaslamosing. The outer edges of 

 the lamina of each of these leaflets are curved 

 outwards from their dorsal junction and inwards 

 towards their upper surface, till they meet so as to 

 (brm two pollen cases or lobes joined back to back. 

 These edges open again longitudinally and form 

 the line of dehiscence when the pollen is to be 

 discharged on the stigmata. They are carinate. 

 The bifurcation between the ends of these cells 

 which were the apices of the transformed leaflets 

 is wider and deeper than at the ends which were 

 the bases of the leaflets. Between the curved 

 angle of the latter ends of the cariniaie cells the 

 filament passes forming the connectivum. The 

 filament is exlremelj small, of arachnoid fineness 

 and elasticity, and so long that the three filaments 

 become twisted together very olten, soon after 

 the expansion of the flower. The anthers thus 

 (brmed and connected each with its floret by ita 

 fine filamenr are extremely versatile and in con- 

 stant trembling motion with the slightest breath 

 of air. While enclosed in the paleae they are 

 of a greenish white color. After they come out 

 and have been some time exposed to the atmo- 

 sphere they assume a bluish purple lilac hue. 

 When several panicles in bloom are shaken, the 

 grains of pollen Ibrm a little cloud like smoke, but 

 a single grain is invisible to the naked eye of 

 most persons. When viewed through the mi- 

 croscope it is subrotund of a dusky leaden color, 

 except in the centre, which presents a white 

 speck. The pistil has two short cylindrical 

 greenish styles standing on a subrotund germen 

 or ovary, like the bodies of short trees Irom which 

 on every side proceed curved and strait and 

 branching stygmalic limbs, the filiformed silvery 

 subdivisions of which are like the twigs or minute 

 branchlets of a tree. There is a slight depres- 

 sion of (he germen between the bases of the 

 styles. In each of the three florets of the flowers 

 there is one of these styles which with its styg- 

 matic branches and twigs of silver is a miniature 

 representation of a tree covered with sleet glitter- 

 ing in the bright winter sunshine. The ijermen 

 is of a light green color. The stygmatic branches 

 when the ddiiscence lakes place of the anther 

 cells protude between the expanding edges of 

 (he palea3 near their points so as to receive the 

 discharged pofrn. 



Sometimes lour flosculi or florets are /bund in 

 one flower and in all such cases there are four sta- 

 mens and four pistils, one pair of these organs 

 being found in each floret. One flower containing 

 three "flosculi or three florets carefully separated 

 with its pedicel fi-om the spikelet just before it 

 bursts into bloom, is like the head of a spear in 

 its form. The apex being considerably more 

 lanceolate than the base. The edges of the 

 lower part of this lancehead being formed by the 

 dorsal lines of the glumes show the prickles on 

 them slightly curved, and these points inclining to 

 the point of the spear. The surfaces of this 

 lance-head are slightly convex and it becomes 

 thinner towards the point. If the pedicel were 

 lengthened tor a handle it would then rcpre«ent 



