Home › O › Order Clxxiv

Order Clxxiv

GRAMINEÆ.

The order of grasses is beyond doubt the most natural of all that the ingenuity of systematic botanists has contrived; it is also the most numerous in species. The inflorescence is very much alike throughout the order, and the floral envelopes, which are bracteæ in a progressive state to the form of calyx and petals, offer few striking characters by which the genera can be characterized. Hence it is that the classification of the order, and its division into genera, has not only been found extremely difficult, but has given rise to much difference of opinion among botanists; some of whom, adhering to the synthetical arrangement of Linnæus, admit but a small number of genera, while others, admitting the analytical principles of modern science, divide it into a vast number. The middle course in this, as in most other cases, is probably the just one. A subdivision of the order into tribes, has been attempted by Palisot, Trinius, Dumortier, Raspail, Kunth, Link, and others; that of M. Kunth is here adopted. The general habit of grasses is so familiar to every one, that it may be passed over in silence. They are remarkable for exhibiting, in no case, properties that are actually poisonous; possessing on the contrary, in almost all cases, wholesome and nutritive qualities. These latter are especially obvious in their seeds, which always contain a farinaceous substance, mixed with a certain proportion of glutinous matter. No one is ignorant of the various and important uses of the seeds of wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, rice, and others, and in general of all the larger kinds of grass. It must however be remarked, that if the smaller sorts are not employed in like manner, it is merely on account of their minuteness, and not on account of any difference in their nature; in fact, in times of scarcity, and in half cultivated countries, use has advantageously been made of Festúca fluítans, Zizánia aquática, Avéna fátua, Pánicum sanguinále, Avéna elátior, Brómus secalínus, and E'lymus arenarius. It is also to be noted, that the particular uses for which the seeds of certain grasses are employed, are not peculiar to them, but may be obtained from all the others, with slight modifications. Thus beer is made, not only from barley but also from wheat; spirituous liquors not only from our European cerealia, but also from rice. But it must he remarked, that a singular exception to the generally wholesome properties of grasses, appears to exist in Lólium temuléntum, the seed of which is reported to be narcotic and inebriating, and even poisonous; there is no doubt, however, that these qualities have been greatly exaggerated; for in the first place they disappear in bread or beer manufactured from Lólium temuléntum; and secondly, in times of scarcity, people have frequently lived upon it. But even supposing all that has been stated upon the subject to be true, this plant will still be found to be little different from wheat, when long exposed to wet; so well, indeed, is this known by country people, that a belief exists, that in wet summers wheat is actually transmuted into rye grass. The exciting properties of the oat, which are very unusual in this order, have been found to reside in the husk and not in the seed, and to depend upon the presence of a minute quantity of an aromatic principle, analogous to Vanilla, lying imbedded in the envelope of the seed, and capable of being extracted by aid of alcohol. As to the deleterious effects of the ergot of rye, these do not depend certainly upon any such property in the rye itself, but is caused either by the ergot disease, or, as is believed, by the parasitic fungus, from the attack of which it arises. Now let us pass from the seeds of Gramineæ to their stems, and we shall find a no less remarkable uniformity of nature in them. They all contain, especially before flowering, a sweet sugary mucilage, which varies in quantity in different species. The sugar cane, in which this is found in greatest abundance, not only constantly exists in the most favorable condition for producing it, as it rarely flowers, but is also one of the largest grasses known. The maize also abounds in sugar; and the same substance is secreted in such abundance by the Sórghum saccharátum, that attempts have actually been made in Italy to cultivate it as the sugar cane. The creeping roots of grasses, which are generally mucilaginous and demulcent, are sometimes used in medicine; but they are of more importance for retaining in banks the sand of the sea shore, so as to form artificial cliffs on flat coasts, to restrain the inroads of the sea. The stems of Andropogon schænánthus, the leaves of Andropogon citrátum, the roots of Andropógon nárdus, and the whole plant of all the species of Anthoxánthum, exhale an aromatic odor, and possess slightly tonic properties. To conclude, the epidermis of grasses has been found to contain a considerable quantity of silex. NATURAL ARRANGEMENT.

Tribe 1. PANICEE. 143 Digitária P. S. 145 Setária P. de B. 139 Páspalum W. 140 Axónopus P. de B. 144 Pánicum B. P. 141 Mílium W. 142 Knáppia E. B. 150 Stípa W. 151 Muhlenbérgia Schr. 152 Chætúrus Lk. 153 Lagúrus W. 154 Polypógon W.en. 155 Gastrídium P. de B. 169 Corynéphorus P. de B. 76 Anthoxánthum W. 170 Aíra. W. 171 Avéna P. S. 172 Trisétum P. S. 173 Danthónia P. de B. 174 Gaudínia P. de B. 175 Arúndo With. 199 Sclerochlóa P. de B. 200 Eleusine R. Br. 206 Tríticum W. 207 Lólium W. 208 E'lymus W. 214 Perótis H. K. 217 Leérsia R. Br. 1950 Zéa W. 1951 Cbix W. 1952 Trípsacum W. 1953 Heteropógon Rich. 218 Diarrhéna Mich. 146 Echinochlóa P. de B. 147 Orthopógon P. de B. 148 Penicillária P. de B.

Tribe 2. STIPACEM. 138 Oryzópsis Mich.

Tribe 3. AGROSTIDEE. 156 Agróstis W. 157 Trichódium Mi. 158 Trístegis Nees. 159 Sporóbolus B. P. 160 Airópsis Desv. 161 Cínna P. de B. 136 Spartína W. 162 Psámma P. de B. 163 Crýpsis W. 133 Cornucópiæ L.

Tribe 4. BROMEE. 176 Chrysúrus P. S. 177 Sesléria P. de B. 178 Cynosúrus P. S. 179 Kæléria P. S. 180 Dáctylis W. en. 181 Glycéria R. Br. 182 Festúca W. 183 Mygalúrus Lk.

Tribe 5. 184 Brómus W. 149 Lappágo W. 134 Cénchrus P. S. 135 Pennisétum Rich. 164 Alopecúrus W. 165 Phléum W. 166 Achnodónton P. de B. 167 Chilochlóa P. de B. 168 Phálaris W. en. 192 Beckmannia Hort. 185 Brachypódium P. de B. 193 Mélica W. 186 Uníola W. 187 Tricúspis P. de B. 188 Dipláchne P. de B. 189 Ceratochlóa P. de B. 190 Schísmus P. de B. 191 Triódia R. Br.

CHLORIDEÆ 201 Dactylocténium P.de B. 202 Leptochlóa P. de B. 203 Cýnodon P. S. 204 Dinébra P. de B.

Tribe 6. HORDEACEE (OF CEREALES.) 209 Secále W. 210 Hórdeum W. 211 Microchlóa R. Br.

Tribe 7. SACCHARINEE. 215 Sáccharum W.

Tribe 8. ORYZEE. 837 Orýza Tribe 9. OLYREE. 1954 Olýra W. 1979 Zizánia W. 1980 Phárus W. 2129 Andropógon W.

Tribe 10. 131 Remiréa Aub. 194 Molínia P. de B. 195 Bríza W. 196 Póa W. 197 Eragrostis P. de B. 198 Megastáchya P. de B. 205 Echinária Desv. 212 Ophiúrus P. de B. 213 Monérma P. de B. 137 Nárdus W. 216 Imperáta Cyr. 2130 Chlóris W. 2131 Sórghum W. en. 2133 Ischæ'mum W. 754 Ehrhárta W. 2132 Hólcus W. en. 2134 Æ'gilops W. 2135 Manisúris W.

Tribe 10. BAMBUSACE. 219 Arundinária W. 752 Bambúsa W Station Uncertain. 132 Lygéum W.