OH APPENDAGES OF PLANTS. 221 



the sheath of their leaf, and clasping the 

 culm. See Phalaris canariensis, EngL 

 Bot. t. 1310, and La gurus ovatus, t. 1334. 

 In Aria carulea, t. 750, a few minute 

 hairs supply its place, while Sesleria cceru- 

 lea, t. 16 13, and some maritime grasses, 

 have scarcely more than the rudiment of 

 a stipula. Old writers call this organ in 

 grasses by a peculiar name ligitla^ and 

 others denominate it membrana foliorum, 

 but both terms are superfluous. A curious 

 instance of stipulas supplying the place of 

 leaves is observable in Lathyrus Aphaca, 

 t. II67, which has only one or two pair 

 of real leaves on the seedling plants, and 

 those soon disappear, serving chiefly to 

 prove, if any proof were wanted, that the 

 rest are true stipulas. 



Remarkably scariose, or dry membra- 

 nous stipulas are seen in Illecebrum Paro- 

 nychia, FL Grcec. t 246, and in the genus 

 Pinus, 



Bractea. The floral leaf, a leafy appen- 

 dage to the flower or its stalk. It is of a 

 riefcy of forms, and sometimes green. 



