18 Mr. Woods on the Genera of European Grasses. 



within. Thie exceptions from such an arrangement are all that it is necessary 

 to notice. 



An additional glume is found in some Grasses (the Panicece, for instance,) 

 an additional palea in others (as in Sorghum and Phalaris), or at least addi- 

 tional parts putting on these appearances. These are always to be considered 

 as abortive florets. They arise in some cases so precisely at the same point 

 with the perfect floret, that it might be difficult to decide whether they ought 

 to be considered as inferior or superior, if we had not a guide in their position, 

 whether within the inferior or superior glume. In the first case, it must be 

 the rudiment of an inferior, in the latter, of a superior floret. In fact, how- 

 ever, all the cases which might at first appear doubtful are distinguishable by 

 the nature of the adjunct, the lower floret assuming the form of a sessile valve 

 or scale, while the upper is always stalked, and frequently reduced to a mere 

 stalk, which is not even constantly thickened at the top. 



Within the palese are the squamulce, the nectaries of Linnaeus. These are 

 often somewhat fleshy scales, but in many genera they are thin and scariose 

 or filmy, putting on the appearance of minute paleee ; they are usually two, 

 and are met with lobed or entire in the same genus, and I believe even in the 

 same species. In Imperata, Lygeum, Anthoxanthum, Crypsis, Alopecurus, 

 Coleanthus, and Nardus they are wanting, as they are also in most species of 

 Spartina and in Sesleria tenella. 



The stamina of Grasses are usually 3. Psilurus and some species of Fes- 

 tuca have only 1 ; Imperata, Anthoxanthum, the terminal floret of Hierochloe, 

 Crypsis aculeata, and one species of Bromus have 2 ; Oryza has 6. These are 

 all the exceptions that the limits of my work require me to notice. The an- 

 thers are oblong, notched at each end, except in Lygeum, and perhaps one or 

 two more genera. 



The germen seems to afford no character which is not better developed in 

 the seed. 



The stigmas are usually 2, sometimes sessile, or nearly so, sometimes on 

 lengthened styles. These styles ai'e united into one in Sesleria ; and this 

 seems to me to be the case also in Imperata ; nevertheless, where there are two 

 stigmas, most botanists seem agreed to place the plant in the order Digynia. 

 Nardus and Lygeum have each only one stigma. Mr. Brown, from his obser- 



