StJMMABY OF TYPES OF BRANCHES. 53 



he calls " beisprossen," or accessory shoots, and subdivides these into 

 two classes: (1) Serial shoots, if they arise one above the other, and 

 (2) collateral shoots, if they appear side by side. 



Until more general studies and classifications of methods of branch- 

 ing can be made it seems best to retain the ordinary designations of 

 uprights, laterals, etc., especially in connection with plants to which 

 these terms have already been applied. All that can be attempted at 

 present is to indicate the varied relations between the different posi- 

 tions and functions of branches in the plants that have been studied. 



SUMMARY OF TYPES OF BRANCHES. 



The characters of the different kinds of branch individuals of cot- 

 ton and the other plants with Avhich it ban been compared can be 

 defined or briefly described as follows. 



BRANCHES OF COTTON. 



(1) Axillary limbs. — Natal axillary branches which never produce 

 flowers, but are like the main axis of the plant in forming at each 

 node an axillaiy vegetative bud and an adaxillary bud that may give 

 rise to a vegetative or a fertile branch. 



(2) Fertile branches. — Natal adaxillary branches which produce 

 a flower bud on each internode, in an adaxillary position, and an 

 axillary vegetative bud. 



(2a) Vegetative &r«?i(?Aes.— Natal adaxillary branches which have 

 the same form and functions as the main stem or the axillary limbs. 



In varieties that have normally complete dimorphism of the 

 branches, axillary buds give rise to vegetative branches only. Adax- 

 illary buds can produce fertile branches or vegetative branches, ex- 

 cept on fertile branches, where they produce floAvers. 



The cotton flower is always solitary, except in cases of fasciation, 

 that are rather common in cluster varieties. Being extra-axillary, 

 the flower is not directly subtended by a leaf or a bract, though there 

 is a whorl of three bract leaves at the end of the simple peduncle. 



BRANCHES OF CASTILLA. 



(1) Temporary branches.— ^^iiil axillary branches producing 

 leaves and inflorescences; short lived and deciduous; not able to serve 



as main stems. 



(2) Permanent branches.— Kd.yeni\i\o\\s adaxillary or extra-axil- 

 lary branches, bearing leaves and temporary branches, but no inflo- 

 rescence branches; serving as permanent divisions of the main stem. 



198 



