THE ANGIOSPERMAE : STEMS 



929 



which bears them is cut early and placed in water they will continue to grow 

 as normal branches. Left to themselves, how^ever, the apex soon stops growth 

 and hardens into a woody point, from which the undeveloped leaves fall away, 



Axillary thorn 



Terminal thorn 



Fig. 912. — Crataegus oxyaconthoides. Leafy 

 shoot with thorn branches with leaves. 



leaving it naked. The lower leaves in large thorns may persist, and from their 

 axils may develop secondary thorn branches. 



In IJlex (Gorse) (Fig. 913) the main shoots are thickly set with compound 



Secondary thorn 

 Primary thorn 



Leaf spine 



Fig. 913. — Ulex europaeus. Shoot bearing compound 

 thorn branches beset with spiny scale leaves. 



