/ 



INTRODUCTION. 



XV 



8. Compound, (composita)] when several spikes stand on one stalk, as in Cynosiirm emm- 



formis. 



\ 



(^digitalis J 



of the fingers of the hand, as in Panicum sangiiinale. 



V 



The spike-stalk, (rachis), is a long rough slender receptacle, on which the flowers com- 

 posing a spike are placed. Take a spike, says Professor Martyn, (or rather, as it is commonly 

 called, an ear), of wheat, pull off all the seed and chaff, and what remains is the spike-stalk, or 

 rachis. 



The spiket, or ear, (spicula), consists of several florets enclosed by one calyx. It is distin- 

 guished by the number of flowers it contains, as one-flowered in Agrostis, two-floweredTn 

 Aira, three-flowered in Poa glauca, many- flowered, as in Bromus multijiorus. It is likewise 

 described according to the figure it assumes, as cylindrical, oval, linear, &c. ; and with respect 

 to its surface, as smooth, rough, hairy, &c. 



The panicle, (panicula), consists of flowers supported by foot-stalks loosely dispersed or 

 scattered; the flowers of oats serve as an example, .or as in Poa pratensis. The varieties of the 

 panicle are: » 



1 



b ■ ■ 



1. Simple, (simplex), that has only undivided side-branches, as in Poa decumbens. 



(ramosa), when the first branches are again divided, as in Bromus multiflorus. 



Vide specimen. 



3. Much-branched, 0•a;>^05mma J, when the branches are much branched, ^s in TricJwdium 



caninum, vel Jgrostis canina. Var. inutica. Vide specimen. 



4. Spreading, (patentissimaX when the branches stand wide from each other, and spread out^ 



in all directions, as in Agrostis repens. 



(coractata) 

 1, (^secundcij 

 ( nutans \ w 



Bromus tectorum. 



V. 



'■ - . • - ■ • ■ 



Flower consists of, 



rouaj; the stamma, or male parts, (stamina) 

 rudiment of the future seed. 



(gluma) ; the corolla, or inner husks, (co- 

 ! pistil, or female parts ; and the germen, or 



^ The calyx, or outer husks, contains the flower, and afterwards the seed. Its more obvious 

 characters of distinction consist in the number of valves, or scales, of which it is composed. 



4 



1. One-valved, (univaMs), that consists of only one valve, as in LoUum, (rye-grass). 



2. Two-valved, (bivalvis), that consists of two valves, as in most grasses. 



3. M^nj-^i^\YeA,(multivahis* ), when thp nm.v l,.,=t. .„„.;.. ^i 



(bariey), and Elymus, (lyme-grass) 



more than two valves, as in 



ticularl ^\h^^ ""^^^^ '^^ ^^^^^' ^'^^ ^^'"^'' ^^^'^^ surrounds one or several flowers, is sometimes found in grasses, but is more par- 



e properly o anot er order of plants, (the umUlliferous) ; and, being in the grasses much resembling the glumes of 



e 



