U GRAMINE^. 



tho cono-beiirlng trees. The latter contains the cedars, eypresses, 

 sequoias, lialsains, lirs, Hprucos, larelies, and j)inert. 



Gi'ainiiieH> (The Gniss Family.)— Tufted annuals or peren- 

 nials, usually herbaceous and evergreen ; with fibrous roots, often 

 stoloniferous or with a creeping rhizoina. Sfriii (''ulni) endo- 

 genous, simple or branched, cylindric, rarely compressed, usually 

 hollow, and closed at tho joints, sometimes solid, especially when 

 young; the nodes solid, mostly swollen. Zcru'es parallel veined, 

 rarely net veined, narrow, ujulividetl, alternate, rarely two or more 

 at a node, distichous; pefiolo dWntod, usually convolute, sheathing 

 tho culm, margins free or often united, especially in the lower 

 leaves; ligitle adnate to the sheath at the base of the blade, 

 scarious, sometimes only a cartilaginous ring or a fringe of 

 liairs. Ii/Jlorcscence, spicate, capitate, racemose or paniculate. 



T/ii' SpikcletH consist of two, three or more, distichous, chaff- 

 like concave scales or bracts {glumes), their concave faces to- 

 wards tho axis {rhachilh), the 2, or sometimes 1, or rarely 3 or 

 more lower ones, and sometimes 1 or more upper ones empty, 

 the other one or more with one sessile flower in the axil of each. 



Floral glume terete or laterally compressed, enclosing a 

 1-2-sexnal flower, and a flat, often i^i-nerved scale (palea) with, 

 inflexed edges. Perianth of 2 (rarely or 3 or more) minute 

 scales (lodicules), placed opposite the palea. Stamens {andrce- 

 ciiirn) usually 3, sometimes 1, 2, 4, (J or more, even to 30, one of 

 which alternates with two lodicules, filaments very slender, 

 anthers versatile, 2-celled, linear, pendulous; pollen mostly 

 yellowish-white, sometimes purple or red. In rare cases the 

 stamens are monadelphous, as in Streptochxeta. Ovary simple, 

 free, sessile, sometimes stipitate, 1-ovuled ; styles 2, rarely 3, free 

 or more or less united ; with hairy or feathery stigmas ; ovule 

 anatropous. 



Fruit (caryopsis) erect, free or often adherent to the palea, 

 and sometimes to the floral glume. 



