THE SNOWDROP. 121 



the soar confined to the small portion projecting beyond the rest. 

 These also involve the base of the peduncle. 



After the second scale is removed, there appears a broad, 

 rather thick, and fleshy scale which has a scar on its upper 

 margin. It is pressed to the base of the sheath which surrounds 

 the two leaves and the peduncle, and which has its margin some- 

 times quite equal, but sometimes furnished with a short blade- 

 like appendage. In those bulbs which are not flowering for the 

 first time the remains of the old peduncle are visible between the 

 scale and sheath. The two closed coats, the scale, and the old 

 peduncle, are formations of the previous year. 

 The parts of this year's plant are as follows : — 



1. The elongated sheath (e), in whose axil are the first 

 rudiments of a bud, from which in the next year the 

 lateral bulb is formed, 

 vj. The outer leaf (f .) It has a closed sheath, and the back 

 of its blade is turned to the last year's peduncle, and is 

 opposed to the fleshy scale (c), which stands before the 

 flower-stem. It appears then that the sheath (e) pre- 

 ceding the first leaf, and inclosing it, alternates with 

 the scale (o), the uppermost formation of the past year. 

 This is also confirmed by the case in which a short 

 lamina terminates the sheath ; this blade is situated on 

 that side of the orifice of the sheath which is turned 

 away from the last year's peduncle and the scale 

 standing before it. 

 '■). The second inner leaf (g). This has no closed sheath, 

 but its fleshy base is somewhat expanded. In the axil 

 which it forms with the peduncle (h) nothing is found. 

 A young bud, however, is situated on that side of the 

 peduncle which is turned away from this leaf. 

 The question now arises, what position this bud occupies with 

 respect to the neighbouring parts — the laminar side of the first or 

 lowest leaf (f) and this year's peduncle (h). As regards the 

 position of the sheath with respect to the bud, this is uncertain 

 when its mai-gin is of equal height all round. But if the blade- 

 like appendage be produced, we perceive at once that it is turned 

 with its back from the flower-stem and towards the first leaf. If, 

 then,- we suppose that this young bud stands in the axil of the 

 first leaf, its position is very peculiar, for then the first leaf of the 

 bud stands before the parent leaf ; whereas for the most part in 

 Monocotyledons and also in Dicotyledons, it stands before the axis. 



