%'>'^^ r) U, ^, 



ENGLISH BOTANY 



Class II.— MONOCOTYLEDONS. 



Herbs, or rarely (and only in exotic genera) trees, with a stem m 

 which the wood, pith, and bark are undistinguishable, as it consists 

 wholly of cellular tissue in which are imbedded fibro-vascular strings 

 passing into the leaves above. Seed containing an embryo having a 

 single seed-leaf or cotyledon, in the axil of which lies the bud which is 

 to form the future stem. Leaves generally with unbranched parallel 

 or sub-parallel veins, or with a midrib from which such veins proceed, 

 rarely -mih branched anastomosing veins. Parts of the flower generally 

 3 or some multiple of 3, rarely 4, 2, or 1. Calyx and corolla generally 

 alike in texture, and both often coloured: on this account in the 

 monocotyledons these terms are seldom employed, the floral envelopes 

 being described under the general term oi j3ena7ith. 



Sub-Order I FLORIDiE. 



Essential organs of the flower surrounded by a perianth, or more 

 rarely naked. Perianth of regularly whorled leaves or monophyllous. 



ORDER LXXIV.— TYPHx^CE^. 



Perennial aquatic or marsh herbs with creeping rhizomes. Stem 

 simple or branched at the apex, cjdindrical, leafy. Leaves alternate, 

 lorate-linear, entire, parallel-nerved, sheathing. Flowers unisexual, 

 moncEcious, in continuous spikes or globular heads : m the latter case 

 the heads are arranged in a raceme or panicle ; in all cases the male 

 flowers are placed above the female. Male flowers numerous, without 

 any perianth, inserted directly upon the axis ; the flowers intermingled 

 with hairs or scales which have no regular arrangement round the 

 separate flowers : stamens simple or shortly 2- or 3-forked at the apex ; 

 anthers oblong, erect, aflixed by the base, 2-celled; the connective 



VOL. IX. B 



