•634 GEAMINE^. 



Dr. John Lowe and Mr. Stephen Wilson. Some suppose that it is 

 the ^'^awa, tares, of Scripture. The grains of Rye, and other grains, 

 are liable to a disease called Ergot, depending on the attack of a fun- 

 gus which alters the texture of the ovary, and makes it assume an 

 •elongated spurred form. The Ergot of Rye, or spurred Rye, has a 

 peculiar effect in promoting the contraction of the uterus, and is on 

 this account used in medicine. Ergoted rye, when regularly used 

 for food, has the effect of causing what has been called convulsive and 

 gangrenous ergotism, the former disease being distinguished by insen- 

 sibility and convulsions, ending in death ; the latter by dry gangrene, 

 which attacks the fingers and toes, causing sloughing of these parts, 

 and sometimes proving fatal by exhaustion. The poisonous effects of 

 Ergot are attributed to the presence of a fixed oil. 



Mr. A. Stephen Wilson states (Trans. Bot. Soo. Edin., 1874) that 

 in the case of Wheat, Barley, and Oats, fertilisation takes place before 

 the anthers are visible outside. After this process has taken place the 

 filaments are rapidly elongated. In the case of Rye, the anther, in its 

 immature state, extends almost the whole length of the palea (flower- 

 ^lume) before it discharges its pollen. 



In figure 876, 1, 3, 7, are represented the florets of Oats, 

 Wheat, and Barley, before fertilisation with the short' stamens, and at 

 5, the floret of Rye with elongated stamens ; while at 2, 4, 8, are 

 ishown the florets of Oats, Wheat, and Barley, after fertilisation, and 

 at" 6 that of Rye ; d marks the point where the spontaneous discharge 

 of pollen takes place. 



Mr. Wilson states that in Wheat, Oats, and Barley, the fertilisa- 

 tion is more complete than it is in Rye, because in the former the 

 dehiscence of the anther takes place inside the floret, where in general 

 neither wind nor rain can carry away the pollen from the vicinity of 

 the stigma ; whereas in Rye the dehiscence takes place after the 

 •elongation of the stamens, and thus a quantity of the pollen falls out- 

 side the floret. 



Fig. 876, illustrating the organs of reproduction of Cereal grains. 1, Floret of Oats, 

 aho-wing a floral glume (palea), bicuspidate at the summit, ■with a long, bent, and twisted 

 3.wn arising from below the summit ; stamens short, near the base. 2, Same, with the 3 

 .stamens elongated, after fertilisation, and 2 feathery styles or stigmas, 3, Floral glume of 

 Wheat before fertilisation. 4, Ditto after fertilisation. 7, Floral glume of Barley before 

 fertilisation. 8, Ditto after fertilisation. 5, Floret of Eye before fertilisation. 6, Ditto 

 after fertilisation. In 2, 4, 6, and 8, d marks the point where spontaneous discharge of 

 -^jollen takes place. 



