4 FOLIAGE-LEAVES. [chap. 



stern. The branches may either resemble the primary stem 

 from which they are given off, or they may differ in the 

 kind of leaves which they bear, in the length of the intervals 

 between their leaves, or otherwise. 



The stem, we find, rises above ground ; it is usually 

 coloured green, and is herbaceous in texture ; it bears 

 foliage-leaves and flowers. 



3. Foliage-leaves. — I use the term foliage-leaves at 

 present simply in order to avoid confusion with the leaves 

 of which flowers are composed. It is not necessary you 

 should always call them so, but it is necessary that you 

 thoroughly understand that, speaking generally, whatever is 

 borne by the stem and its branches is a leaf oi some kind^ 

 whether it be green, as are foHage-leaves, or coloured, as 

 are flower-leaves. 



We have already remarked that the lowest leaves often 

 seejn to spring from the root. When this is the case these 

 leaves may be called radical leaves. They really spring 

 from a portion of the stem, which is more or less buried 

 underground, giving off root-fibres below and radical-leaves 

 tVom above. This portion of the stem in herbaceous plants 

 which last more than a season or two is called the stock. 

 Tlie upper leaves, obviously springing from the stem, may 

 be described as cauline. 



The point on the stem from which any leaf is given off is 

 called a node ; the space between two nodes is called an 

 iftternode. It is owing to the non-development of the inter- 

 nodes of the lower part of the stem or of the stock that the 

 leaves which it bears appear to be given off in a tuft. 



Each leaf consists of stalk and blade, or of blade only ; 

 the stalk supporting the blade is called 2, petiole. Leaves 

 which consist of blade witliout any stalk are termed sessile» 

 The same word is used of any part of a plant to denote the 



