e
species of Panicum the first glume is very small, in Digitaria it is
very minute and in Paspalum and Eriochloa it is entirely suppressed. The
flowering glumes are generally uniform when there are many. In the
spikelet having only four glumes the fourth glume differs from the
others mainly in texture. Instead of being thin and herbaceous it
becomes rigid and hard, smooth or rugose externally as in Panicum.
Flowering glumes instead of being like empty glumes, become very thin,
shorter and hyaline in Andropogon. Sometimes the flowering glumes are
awned. All of them may be awned as in Chloris or only the fourth glume
as in Andropogon.

The palea is fairly uniform in its structure in many grasses, but it is
also subject to variation. It becomes shorter in some and is absent in
others. Instead of having two nerves, it may have one and rarely more
than two. The palea can easily be distinguished from the glume, because
its insertion in the spikelet is different from that of the glume.

[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Flower of Chloris.

1. lodicules; 2. stamens; 3. ovary.]

The =lodicules= are small organs and they are the vestiges of the
perianth. In most grasses there are only two, but in Ochlandra and other
bamboos we meet with three lodicules. There are also some species with
many lodicules. In shape they are mostly of some form referable to the
cuneate form. They are of somewhat elongated form in Aristida and
Chloris. The function of the lodicules seems to be to separate the glume
and its palea so as to enable the stamens to come out and hang freely at
the time of anthesis. So it is only at the time of the opening of the
flowers that the lodicules are at their best. Then they are fairly
large, fleshy and thick and conspicuous. In the bud stage they are
usually small and after the opening of the flower they shrivel up and
are inconspicuous. There are also species of grasses in which the
lodicules are not found.

The =stamens= are three in number in the majority of grasses and six are
met with in Leersia, Hygrorhiza and Bamboos. Each stamen consists of a
very delicate long filament and an anther basifixed to the filament. But
as the anthers are long and the connective is reduced to its minimum,
they appear as if versatile when the stamens are out. When there are
three stamens one stands in front of the flowering glumes and the other
two in front of the palea, one opposite each edge of the palea. The
relative positions of th