MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 23 



4. GRAMmEiE. Grass Family. 



Mostly herbs, with usually hollow stems, closed and en- 

 larged at the nodes. Leaves alternate, in two ranks, with 

 sheathing bases, which are split open on the side opposite the 

 blade. Plowers nearly or quite destitute of floral envelopes, 

 solitary, and borne in the axils of scaly bracts called glumes, 

 which are arranged in two ranks overlapping each other on 

 1-many-flowered spikelets; these are variously grouped in 

 spikes, panicles, and so on. Fruit a grain. (The family is 

 too dif&cult for the beginner, but the structure and group- 

 ing of the flowers may be gathered from a careful study of 

 Figs. 2, 3.) 



5. CYPERACE.®. Sedge Family. 



Grass-like or rush-like herbs, with solid, usually triangular, 

 stems, growing in tufts. The sheathing base of the generally 

 3-ranked leaves, when present, is not slit as in grasses. The 

 flowers are usually somewhat less enclosed by bracts than 

 those of grasses ; the perianth is absent or rudimentary ; 

 stamens generally 3 ; style 2-cleft or 3-cleft. 



The general appearance of a common sedge may be learned 

 from Part I, Ch. V, and the flower-cluster and the flower 

 understood from an inspection of Fig. 4. 



The species are even more difScult to determine than those 

 of grasses. 



6. ARACE.2E. Aeum Family. 



Perennial herbs, with pungent or acrid juice, leaves often 

 netted-veined, small flowers (perfect or imperfect) clustered 

 along a peculiar fleshy spike called a spadix, and frequently 

 more or less covered by a large, hood-like bract called a 

 spathe. Perianth, when present, of 4-6 parts ; often want- 

 ing. Fruit usually a berry. 



