PLANT DESCRIPTION 255 
29 The maize is moncecious, the cob bearing the 
pistillate, and the tassel above the staminate flowers. 
The long silky hairs on the cob are the stigmas. 
Maize does best when fertilized by pollen from another 
plant. 
3. Wheat, oats, barley and rye are common cereals 
used for human food. 
4, Rye grass, cocksfoot, timothy, crested dogstail, 
and meadow foxtail are well-known pasture grasses. 
COMMON FLOWERS. 
In order that the student may have plenty of 
practice in plant description the following selection is 
made. Brief notes are given with respect to every 
flower, but should be used by the student only for 
the purpose of verifying and correcting the results of 
his own observations. 
The Rush.—P 3+ 3 A 3+ 8. Carpels three; ovary 
three-celled, axile placentation, superior. 
The Narcissus—P (3 + 3) A 3+ 3 epiphyllous; 
carpels (3); ovary three-celled, inferior; axile placen- 
tation. The corona or cup is an outgrowth of the 
perianth. | 
The Snowdrop.—aAs above, but members of perianth 
free and no corona. 
Iris—As narcissus except that only three stamens. 
Petaloid styles and pollination mechanism already 
described. Freesia, Gladiolus, Ixia, Crocus—as iris but 
without pollination mechanism. 
Canna.—_K 3 C3. Andrcecium represented by a 
number of petaloid bodies of which only one, the 
posterior stamen of the inner whorl bears a two-lobed 
anther; of the staminodes one is larger than the others 
and reflexed forming the labellum G (3). 
Dock.—P (3+ 3) A3~x2. Carpels (three) united to 
form a superior one-celled ovary containing one ovule. 
Fruit a nutlet. 
