DEGENEPA TION. 



105 



or three-celled ovary. Here, again, the green flower 

 is obviously of late date. 



What, then, are we to say about the anemophilous 

 Monocotyledons, the great families of the sedges and 

 grasses ? Surely these, at least, are primitive green 

 wind-fertilised flowers. Dogmatically to assert the 

 contrary would, indeed, be rash with our existing 



FIG. 40. Spike or spadix of cuckoo-pint 

 (A rum maculatum), consisting of nu- 

 merous naked male,female, and neuter 

 flowers, in separate clusters ; purplish 

 green. 



FIG. 41. Single floret of sweet sedge 

 (Acorus), with six perianth pieces, 

 six stamens, and an ovary ; greenish 

 yellow. 



knowledge ; yet we may see some reason for be- 

 lieving that even these highly anemophilous types 

 are degenerate descendants of showy petaliferous 

 blossoms. For, if the origin here assigned to petals 

 be correct, it becomes clear that the Juncacece, or 

 rushes, are only Liliacecs in which the perianth has 

 become dry and scarious ; for the absolute homology 



