4- 



some preliminary explanations, — or, as the politicians say, to "define ouy 

 position." The term Grass, jn our vernacular tongue, is frequently used 

 in a vague sense — to designate every kind of herbage found in our mea- 

 dow* and pastures : hence, we often hear people speak of Clover, Luz 

 cerne, and other plants — which have no botanical affinity whatever with 

 the true Grasses — as though they really belonged to that remarkable 

 tribe of vegetables. But such is not the language of Naturalists ; and 

 ought not to be, of any well-informed person. An accurate knowledge 

 of objects can neither bo acquired, nor communicated, without precision in 

 the use of terms. The distinctive characters of that family of plants, of 

 ■which we propose to treat, are now well understood, and have been satis- 

 factorily defined. 



Whenever we meet with a plant, having a cylindrical, jointed stem, 

 with the joints solid, and the intervening portions hollow — or, in a few 

 instances, filled with a pith-like substance, — the leaves alternate, one ori- 

 ginating at each joint, embracing the stem with its baee, and forming a 

 sheath which is slit on one side down to its origin, — and the Jlowtrs pro- 

 tected by those peculiar envelopes, known by the name of chaff, — we 

 may take it for granted that we have before us a true grass. Brief and 

 simple as i3 this definition, it will be found to contain the most obvious 

 characteristics of the Trib* ; sufficient, it is believed, to distinguish it 

 from all others. While we are on the subject, however, a few additional 

 traits may perhaps be adverted to, with propriety. The cuticle, or skin 

 of the Grasses — ( for they have no bark, properly bo called ) — contains 

 a considerable portion of silex, — as is shown by its vitrification, when 

 stacks, or other dense masses of unthrashed grain, are burnt. A sort of 

 glass is produced, from this silex, which preserves the form of the plant, 

 ov«>i! to its minutest part3. The nerves, or veins, in the Leaves of this 

 family, are all nearly parallel,— in consequence of which, those appen- 

 dages ( i. e. the leaves ) are entire, generally narrow, elongated, and more 

 or less linear in their form. The Flowers are mostly small, disposed in lit- 

 tle clusters or spikelets,and these spikelets are variously arranged, in spikes 

 racemes, or loose panicles. Each spihekt, — consisting sometimes of one 

 — but more commonly of two, three, or many florets — is usually em- 

 braced, or supported at base, by two chaffy pieces, called glumes,- and 

 each Jloret is immediately protected by two somewhat similar chaffy cov- 

 erings, which, for the sake of distinction, are denominated palcsc. These 

 chaffy coverings of the flowers and 6eeds of the Grasses, are wholly un- 

 like tho delicate and showy floral envelopes of most other plants, — and 

 seem to be, in fact, the mere stunted vestiges of abortive leaves — or rath- 

 er of their slieaths — closely crowded together. Hence wo find them, 



