THE SPERM A TOPH YTA 



365 



Glumales (Fig. 237). — These are the grasses and the sedges. 

 The small flowers lack a typical calyx and corolla, are protected 

 hy chaffy bracts, and are arranged in clusters. They are wind- 

 pollinated, except for those cases where pollination is affected 

 directly, without external agency. As in the Amentiferae, their 

 simple condition may have come about through reduction. The 

 grass family includes the most important of our crop plants. 



Fig. 237.— One of the Glumales. 

 A sedge (Carex), belonging to the 

 family Cyperaceae. 



Fig. 238.— One of the Arales. The 

 skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) , 

 belonging to the family Araceae. 



Palmales. — The palms are a tropical tree-like family in which 

 the columnar trunk is surmounted by a cluster of large leaves. 

 The small flowers are borne in spikes and in some species are 

 pollinated by wind and in others by insects. The perianth is 

 very simple. 



Arales (Fig. 238). — These are the aroids, a family of large herl)s 

 particularly abundant in the tropics and represented with us only 

 by the Jack-in-the-pulpit, skunk's cabbage, and a few other 

 species. The leaves are typically large, and, unlike those of most 

 monocotyledons, are netted-veined. The very simple flowers, 

 almost devoid of a perianth, are clustered on a fleshy spadix 

 which is enveloped by a large and often brilliantly colored bract, 

 the spathe. 



