Glumaceous

[Fr. glumacée.] ( Bot.) Having or bearing glumes; consisting of glumes. Glu'mal, a. ( Bot.) Having glumes, i. e. husks or chaff, as the gra es. Glumales, n. pl. ( Bot.) The Gra es, an important alliance of plants, cla Endogens. The great ma of herbage known by the name of Gra es and Sedges, constitutes perhaps a twelfth part of the described species of flowering plants, and at least nine-tenths of the number of individuals composing the vegetation of the world; for it is the chief source of that verdure which covers the earth of northern countries with a gay carpet during the months of winter. Such forms of vegetation are provided by nature with true flowers, that is to say, with stamens and pistils, the action of the former of which upon the latter is indispensable for the creation of a seed; but there is little trace of the calyx and corolla, which are commonly characteristic of the more perfect races of plants; not that floral envelopes are wanting, but they do not a ume the whorled or ringed position of the parts which form a calyx and corolla; they merely consist of minute green or brown bracts placed one over another, and sometimes appearing to be united by their edges. There is also great simplicity in their pistil, but one ovule being formed in each cavity, whatever number of carpels (indicated by the stigmas) may be employed in the construction of it. Their foliage is as simple as it can be to have any considerable degree of development, consisting of fine thread-shaped veins running side by side from one end of the leaf to the other. The alliance is divided into 5 orders, viz., GRAM IN A CEE, CYPERACE, RESTIACEE, including DESVAUXIACEE, and ERIOCAULA CEE, q. v.