ENDOGENOUS OU MONOCOTYEEDONOUS PLANTS. 



497 



was made from the stems of Cyperas Papyrus. Tlic tubers of 

 C. esculentus arc sweet and edible, but arc too small to be of much 

 value for food. 



9G0. Oi'tl. BrominCSE ( Grass Family). Stems (culms) cylindrical, 

 mostly hollow, and closed at the nodes. Sheaths of the leaves split 

 or open. Flowers in little spikelets, consisting of two-ranked imbri- 

 cated bracts ; of which the exterior are called glumes, and the two 

 that immediately enclose each flower, palece. Perianth none, or in 

 the form of very small and membranous hypogynous scales, from 

 one to three in number, distinct or united (termed squamulcs, squa- 

 mellce, or lodiculce). Stamens commonly three : anthers versatile. 

 Styles or stigmas two ; the latter feathery. Fruit a caryopsis. 

 Embryo situated on the outside of the farinaceous albumen, next the 



FIG 1258. Srirpus triqueter. with its cluster of spikelets. 1259 A separate flower, en- 

 larged showing its rudimentary perianth of a few denti ulatc bristles, its three stamens, and 

 pistil with a three-cleft style : a, section of the seed, showing the minute embryo. 12G0. Ca- 

 rex Care, ana, reduced in size (flowers monoecious, the two kinds in diTorent spike?). 12C1. 

 Stem, with the stominato ar.d upper pistillate spike, of the size of nature. 12C2. A scale of 

 the Stan: innte spike, v.ith tie flower (consisting merely of three st:-.iv.c::s) in it* nx'l. 17G3. 

 Jlagi.i.led pistillate flower, with its scale or bract : the ovary enclosed in a kir.d of sac (pfn's'J- 

 tiium), formed by the union of two bractlets. 1CG4. Cross-section of the perigyniuin ; with 

 the pistil, /', removed. 1ZGJ. Vertical section of the achuuiuui, showing the seed. 



42* 



