Weatherwax: The Oriental Maydeae 
13 
the rachis (Figs. 26, 27). The pedicelled mate of the female 
spikelet occurs as a rudiment near the top of the phytomer 
(Fig. 27). 
The staminate spikelet is similar to that of Coix. 
The pistillate spikelet is entirely surrounded by the lower 
glume, which becomes hard and shining at maturity and bears 
a deceptive resemblance to the spathe of Coix. At its top 
is a thickened ridge suggesting a ligule. The overlapping 
edges of this stony glume fit closely together and partly sur- 
round the rachis (Figs. 29, 30), forming a very efficient pro- 
tective covering for the other parts of the spikelet and later 
for the seed. This glume remains soft and chalky-white if 
fertilization does not occur. 
Except for this outer glume the pistillate spikelet is very 
similar to that of Coix (Figs. 28-31). The staminodia are 
more rudimentary than those of Coix; the styles are united 
for some distance at the base. 
No perfect flowers, or flowers with reversed sexuality, have 
been observed in this plant, but there is a slight reduction in 
the ratio of male to female spikelets when plants are grown 
in reduced light. 
In the node of the rachis at the base of the pistillate 
spikelet the pith presents a peculiar structure (Figs. 28, 31). 
At first completely filling the nodal cavity, it later splits loose 
from surrounding tissues and remains apparently suspended 
by the vascular strands which enter and anastomose within 
it. When the mature fruit breaks off at this node this body 
of nodal parenchyma is left protruding from the base of the 
outer glume (Fig. 32). The significance of this structure 
is not known, but, inasmuch as its size and shape vary with 
its water content, it may have some physiological role in 
the germination of the seed. 
Sclerachne 
The genus Sclerachne is represented by a single species, 
S. punctata R. Br., which occurs only in Java. Several genera- 
tions of the plant have been grown in the greenhouse. 
The descriptions and the specimens received from Java in- 
dicate that the plant is a more or less erect annual. Plants 
that I have grown tend more to a prostrate habit. Vegeta- 
tively this species resembles Polytoca barb at a, but the latter 
