482 



BOTANY 



with narrow, elongated inflorescences of a green colour. The seeds are poisonous, as 

 are also those of L. linicola, a weed only found growing in Flax fields. Both may- 

 be distinguished from the other 

 harmless species of Lolium, e.g. 

 L. perenne, Rye Grass, by the 

 absence of tufts of sterile leaf. 



Officinal. — Saccharum offi- 

 einarum (Fig. 424) yields Sao- 

 chakum ; the germinating grain 

 of Hordeum vulgare, Maltum ; 

 Agropyrum repens, Couch Grass, 

 Rhizoma or Radix gkaminis. 

 The starch derived from the 

 seed of Triticum vulgare is the 

 officinal Amylum Tkitici. 



Order 5. Heloblae 



Flowers hypogynous, 

 less frequently epigynous, 

 actinomorphic, with peri- 

 anth ; STAMENS USUALLY 

 MORE THAN SIX ; CARPELS 

 USUALLY MORE THAN 



three, in hypogynous 

 flowers free ; seeds with- 

 out endosperm; embryo 



with LARGE HYPOCOTYL. 



The Helobiae are marsh- 

 or water-plants, sometimes 

 of a grass-like appearance, 

 sometimes with broad 

 leaves. According to the 

 mode of pollination, 

 whether effected by the 

 wind, water, or insects, the 

 perianth is either small and 

 of a greenish colour, or 

 large and differentiated into a calyx and corolla. The structure of the 

 flowers may be regarded as a modification of the Monocotyledonous 

 type, resulting phylogenetically from the splitting of the stamens and 

 carpels. Flowers exhibiting reduction also occur in this order. 



Family Alismaeeae. — Flowers hypogynous, hermaphrodite, 

 with perianth differentiated into calyx and corolla; stamens 9 

 (6 + 3) or more ; carpels free, numerous, sometimes arranged in 

 spirals. Fruit dry and indehiscent, rarely a capsule (Fig. 426). 



Members of this family are found in all zones growing in marshes or shallow 



Fig. 425. — Lolium temtdcntum. — Poisonous. 



