Deviations from this typical floral structure in some instances may
be traced to _suppression_, very rarely to a _splitting_ of certain
members, the typical relative positions not being changed. Thus,
the Iridaceæ, the Cyperaceæ, most of the Gramineæ and some Juncaceæ
deviate in having only 3 stamens (Fig. 279), the inner whorl (indicated
by *) not becoming developed. The Musaceæ differ in the posterior
stamen not being developed; _Zingiberaceæ_ (Fig. 314), _Marantaceæ_,
and _Cannaceæ_, in the fact that only 1 of all the stamens bears an
anther, and the others are either suppressed or developed into petaloid
staminodes, with some perhaps cleft in addition. The Orchideæ deviate
in having, generally, only the anterior stamen of all the 6 developed
(Fig. 280). In this, as in other instances, the suppression of certain
parts of the flower is often connected with _zygomorphy_ (_i.e._
symmetry in _one_ plane), chiefly in the inner perianth-whorl, but also
in the other whorls. In the Orchids, the perianth-leaf (the labellum,
Fig. 280 _l_) which is directly opposite the fertile stamen, is larger
and altogether different from the others. The perianth-leaves may also
be suppressed; see, for example, the two diagrams of the Cyperaceæ
(Fig. 284). In some orders the suppression of these leaves, which form
the basis of the diagram, is so complete that it is hard to reduce the
actual structure of the flower to the theoretical type, _e.g._ the
Grasses (Fig. 290) and _Lemna_ (Fig. 303). In the first family, which
especially comprises water-plants, a somewhat different structure is
found; thus Fig. 282 differs somewhat from the ordinary type, and other
flowers much more so; but the floral diagrams which occur in this
family may perhaps be considered as the most probable representatives
of an older type, from which the ordinary pentacyclic forms have taken
their origin. In favour of this theory we have the larger number of
whorls, the spiral arrangement of some of these in the flower, with
a large and indefinite number of stamens and carpels, the perfectly
apocarpous gynœceum which sometimes occurs, etc., etc.
The Monocotyledons are divided into 7 Families:--
1. HELOBIEÆ. This family forms a group complete in itself. It
commences with hypogynous, perfect flowers, whose gynœcium is
apocarpous and terminates in epigynous and more or less reduced
forms.
2. GLUMIFLORÆ. These have as a starting point the same diagram
as the following families, but otherwise develope independently.
3. SPADICIFLORÆ. Also an independent branch, or perhaps two
different ones which terminate in much reduced forms.
4. ENANTIOBLASTÆ. These ought perhaps to be amalgamated with the
following family.
5. LILIIFLORÆ. These advance from forms with the typical diagram
and hypogynous flower, to epigynous and reduced forms.
6. SCITAMINEÆ and
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