186 



Elementary Botany 



and the inner ones contain the bisexual flowers ; perianth 

 consists of numerous hypogynous bristles, which elongate on 

 fruiting (in some plants of the order no perianth is present) ; 

 stamens three ; anthers innate ; ovary one-celled, with three 

 simple stigmas. This order contains numerous grass-like plants. 

 In the large genus of Carex (Sedges) there are unisexual flowers 



(fig- 316)- 



I. II. 



F1G.316. —Flower of Cypents 

 longiis, with the parts sepa- 

 rated. 



Fig. 317.— I. Male flower, II. Female flower of 

 Carex. 



The Sand Sedge {Carex arenarid) is very useful for binding 

 together the loose sand by means of its creeping stems. The 

 Lake Scirpus (Scirpus lacustris) is used for chair bottoms, 

 baskets, mats, &c. Papyrus was obtained from the stems of 

 an Egyptian Cyperus. 



GRAMINACE^. 



Typical plant, Common Wheat {Triticum vulgare). 



Note, plant is herbaceous (some exotics are shrubby) ; 

 leaves sheathing, sheath split in front ; an appendage on the 

 leaf where it separates from the sheath known as the liguls 

 (fig. 318, a) ; stem hollow, except at nodes. 



Flowers arranged in a spike with glumes, as in Cyperaceas. 

 If we remove one of the spikelets from the centre of the spike 



