LESSON IV 



PEDICELED SPIKELETS OF FEW TO MANY 

 FLORETS 



Taking the spikelet of cheat or chess {Bromus 

 secalinus), Fig. 11, as a starting point, we have 

 one but httle different from the 

 diagrammatic spikelet (Fig. 8). 

 [Names incidentally mentioned 

 should not be memorized.] The 

 lemmas are convex on the back, 

 several-nerved, 2-toothed at the 

 apex and bear an awn from be- 

 tween the teeth. The awn is 

 the midnerve Extending beyond 

 the body of the lemma. The 

 rachilla joints are short, bring- 

 ing the florets (Fig. 11, B) close 

 together. The articulation is 

 above the glumes and between ^'°- ii- a, severai-flow- 



rrn • ^^^'^ spikelet of Bromus 



the florets. The palea is grown 



secalinus ; 

 floret. 



B, single 



fast to the grain. All species of 

 Bromus have spikelets of this character, differing 

 in size, texture, length of the awn, which may be 

 much longer or reduced to a mucro (a minute point) 

 or even suppressed, in being glabrous, as in cheat, or 

 pubescent. The pubescence may cover the lemma 



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