. Botany of the living plant. Botany. 504 BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT tTC paleae : the lower and outer is anterior, the upper and inner is posterior, and the flower itself lies between them. At flowering they gape widely apart, so as to expose the parts of the flower. If a flower be found in this condition, or if the lower palea be forced back, the flower, as seen from the anterior side, wdll show the following parts : (i) Two lodicules, which are minute, colourless, hypogynous scales, right and left of the median plane. It is by their swelling that the paleae are forced apart at the time of fl
. Botany of the living plant. Botany. 504 BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT tTC paleae : the lower and outer is anterior, the upper and inner is posterior, and the flower itself lies between them. At flowering they gape widely apart, so as to expose the parts of the flower. If a flower be found in this condition, or if the lower palea be forced back, the flower, as seen from the anterior side, wdll show the following parts : (i) Two lodicules, which are minute, colourless, hypogynous scales, right and left of the median plane. It is by their swelling that the paleae are forced apart at the time of flowering. (ii) Three stamens, hypogynous, free, with long flexible filaments, and versatile anthers, bearing powdery pollen. One stamen is median and anterior, the two others obliquely posterior. (iii) Certainly the gynoecium consists of a pear-shaped superior ovary, grooved on the posterior side, and bears distally, right and left, two feather}^ stigmas. Dis- section shows a single ovule in the ovary. The number of such flowers in each spikelet varies : 8 to lo are common numbers, and they open at intervals in acropetal succes- sion. The flower may be held to be of Liliifloral type, reduced in rela- tion to wind-pollination. The perianth is represented by the two lodicules, corresponding to the oblique anterior segments of the inner series, which being of use in separating the paleae at flowering have survived. The stamens correspond in position to the outer whorl of the Liliiflorae, while the gynoecium is held to consist of a single carpel, corresponding to the anterior carpel of the Liliiflorae. This floral structure is very constant in the Grasses, but the flowers are variously disposed in their inflorescences. The Rye-Grass may be taken as a good example for the Family, and it is easily recognised. The inconspicuous flowers, versatile anthers, dry dusty poUen, and expanded feathery stigmas clearly indicate wind-pollination. Most Grass-flowers are homogamous, that is, stamen
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbotany, bookyear1919
