180 WAYSIDE WEEDS, 



examples of tlie awn in full development. Of course 

 these awns give valuable characters in distinguishing 

 the various species of grass from each other, but if you 

 will examine the diverse scales which compose the 

 spikelet, or locusta, as it is called, you will find they 

 have many distinctive marks besides ; some are more 

 or less covered with hairs j some have many or few 

 veins or nerves ; and whilst some are pointed at the 

 apex, others are blunted, and others ''bifid," or 

 forked." 



We have yet, however, to speak to you of the 

 structure of this flower spikelet as a whole, The 

 outer and lower pair of scales or glumes (Pigs, 106 

 and 108) were at one time regarded as equivalent to 

 a calyx, but as in many grasses they inclose a con- 

 siderable number of florets, they are now more 

 properly regarded as bracts, constituting an invo- 

 lucre, such as we remember in our old friends the 

 composites, consequently the pairs of scales inclosed 

 by the glumes, iustead of being equivalent to a 

 corolla, must be looked on as the perianth of the 

 blossom. These inclosed scales are often called 

 palece. The grass stem gets the distinctive name of 

 cuhn. 



J-LANT CLOTHING, 

 " If God so clothe the grass of the field." 

 A, very varied wardrobe have these " HUes 

 of the field." The richly coloured petals, some- 

 times brightly coloured calyx or bract, the 



