INTRODUCTION. Ill 



and trees lose annually their flowering brandies lite nnclershrubs. And the same 

 botanical species may be an annual or a perennial, a herbaceous perennial or an iindor- 



Bhrub,^ an undershrub or a shrub, a shrub or a tree, accordiiig to climate, treatment, 

 or Tariety. 



14. Plants ai^e usually terrestrial^ that is, growing on earth, or aqnaiic, i, e. growmg 

 in ^Yater ; but sometimes they may be found attached by their roots to other plants, 

 in whicli case they are epiphytes when simply growing upon other plants wnthoiit 

 penetrating into tlieir issue, parasites when their roots penetrate into and derire more 

 ov less nutriment from the plant to which they are attached. 



15. The simplest form of tlie perfect plant, the annual, consiats of — 



(1) The Root, or descending axis, which grows downwards from the stem, divides 

 and spreads in the earth or water, and absorbs food for the plant through the extre- 

 mities of its branches. 



(2) The Stem, or ascending axisj whicli grows upwards from the root, brandies and 

 beai*s first one or more leaves in succession, then one or more flowei-s, and finally one 

 or more fruits. It contains the tissues or other cliannels (217) by which the mdri- 

 racnt absorbed by the roots is conveyed in the form o{ sap (192) to tlie leaves or otlier 

 points of the surface of the plant, to be elaborated or digested (218), and afterwards 

 redistributed ovev different parts of the plant for its support and growth. 



(3) The Iicaves, usually fiat, green, and horizontal, are variously arranged on the 

 stem and its branches. They elahorate or digest (218) the nutriment brought io tlieni 

 through the stem, absorb carbonic acid gas from the air, exhalhig the superfluous 

 oxygen, and returning the assimilated sap to the stem. 



(1) Tlic Flowers, usually placed at or towards the extremities of the branches. 

 They are destined to form the future seed. Wlien perfect and complete they consist : 

 1st, of a phiil in the centre, consisting of one or more carpels^ each containing the 

 germ of one or more seeds ; 2nd, of one or more stamens outside the pistil, wliose 

 action is necessary to fertilize tlie pistil or enable it to ripen its seed ; 3rd, oi?^ perianth 

 OY Jloral envelope^ wliicli usually encloses the stamens and pistil when young, and 

 <ixpands and exposes tliem to view when fully formed. This complete perianth is 

 double; the outer one, called Calj/x, is usually more green and loaf-like; the inner 

 one, called the Corolla, more conspicuous, and vai'iously coloured. It is the perianth, 

 and especially the corolla, as the most showy part, tiiat is generally called the flower 

 in pj3pular language. 



(5) The Fruit, consisting of the pistil or its lower portion, wliich persiitts or remains 

 attaclied to the plant after the remainder of the flower has withered and fallen off. 

 It enlarges and alters more or less in shape or consistence, becomes a seed-ressel, en- 

 closing the seed until it is ripe, when it either opens to discharge the seed or falls to 

 the gromid with the seed. In popular language the term//-iaY is often limited to such 

 seed-vessels as are or look jiucy and eatable. Botanists give tliat name to all seed- 

 vessels. 



. 10. The herbaceous perennial resembles the annual during the first year of its 

 growth; but it also forms (usually towards the close of the season), on its stock (the 

 portion of the stem and root which does not die), one or more huds, cither exposed, 

 and then popularly called e(/es, or concealed among leaves. These buds, called leaf- 

 liids^ to distinguish them from Jlower-buds or unopened flowers, are future branches 

 as yet undeveloped; tlicy remain dormant through the -n^inter, and the following 

 spring grow otit into new stems bearing leaves and flowers like those of the preceding 

 year, wliilst the lower part of the stock eijjits fresh roots to replace those which had 

 perished at the same time as the stems. 



17, Shrubs and trees form similar icaf-buds cither at the extremity of their brandies, 

 or along the branches of the year. In the latter case these bi\ds arc usually axillary, 

 that is, they appear in the axit of each leaf, i.e. in the angle formed by tliC leaf and 

 the branch. When they appear at any other part of the plant they are called adventi- 

 tious. If these buds by producing roots (10) become distinct plants before separating 

 from the parent, or if adventitious leaf-buds are produced in the place of flowers or 

 eoeds, the plant is said to be viviparous or proliferous. 



