558 



Order GRAMINE^E, or Grass Tribe. 



734. The general appearance of the ordinary GRAMINE^E or 

 Grasses, is familiar to every one; their hollow, cylindrical and 

 jointed stems, with their long narrow leaves, distinguish them 

 readily from all other plants. But we are not so commonly in 

 the habit of associating, with the humble kinds with which we are 

 familiar, the tall Sugar Canes and gigantic Bamboos of tropical 

 climates ; yet these are only Grasses on a larger scale, agreeing 

 with our own in every essential particular, and differing mostly in 

 size. The amount of variety in subordinate characters among 

 the several genera and species of this large order, is very con- 

 siderable; and it will be only attempted here, to give a sketch of 

 what may be regarded as the typical structure of the organs of 

 fructification. It will be found convenient to begin with the 



B 



FIG. 198. SUGAR-CANE WITH ITS FLOWKRS. A, whole plant ; B, cluster of flowers 

 enclosed in glumes; C, single flower enlarged, with glumes separated; D, flower 

 opened, showing a, stigmas, b b, stamens, c, scales, d, pales. 



inner rather than with the outer part of the flower. In the Sugar- 

 Cane, for example, on separating the parts of the flower, we 

 observe the centre occupied by an ovarium, having two styles 

 surmounted by hairy stigmas ; and round this are disposed three 



