302 



CLASSIFICATION 



Fig. 271. — One-flowered 

 Spikelet of Dhan or Rice 



e.g-.. Pair of empty glutnes. 

 p, Palea. f.g:. Flowerings 

 glume. s, Stamens. /, 

 Lodicules. s£t Stigma. 



panicle. The spikelets (fig. 270) are usually enclosed 

 at the base by two empty bracts 

 named glumes (outer or empty, 

 glumes) (e.g.), one placed a little 

 above the other; these glumes are 

 succeeded by one or more glumes 

 (flowering glumes) {f.g-), arranged 

 distichously on the short rachis, 

 and each of these embraces a single 

 flower (although one or more of 

 them are occasionally empty). 

 Within and facing each flowering 

 glume is a small 2-nerved .glume 

 known as a palea (/>). Within 

 the palea and the flowering glume 

 are two minute scales called lodicules (/), which are 



regarded as rudimentary 

 perianth-leaves. Stamens 

 (j) are usually 3, but in Rice 

 and Bamboo the number 

 is 6 ; the anthers are versa- 

 tile and pendulous. Ovary 

 superior {ov), syracarpous, 

 i-celled with a single erect, 

 anatropous ovule; stigm>a 

 {st) usually 2, feathery. 

 Fruit an achene (caryopsis) 

 with the seed closely ad- 

 herent to the thin pericarp, 

 the latter again more or 

 less adherent to the palea 

 and sometimes also to the 

 flowering glume; the outer 

 glumes also in i-flowered 

 spikelets as of Rice (figs. 271, 272) may be more or 



Fig. 272. — Panicle ot dhan 

 {Otyza sativa) 



