1 1 4 ORGANOGRAPHY. 



language thus designated. They are distinguished from roots, 

 however, either by the presence of leaves and buds, or by scales 

 or modified leaves, or by the presence of scars on their surface, 

 which have been produced by the falling oif of former leaves or 

 buds. They have thus a provision for regular ramification, which 

 is not the case with roots. The different forms of aerial stems 

 described above, when partially subterranean, may be also distin- 

 guished in a similar manner from roots. 



a. The Creeping Stem. {Fig. 2 1 8.) — This form of stem is also 



Fi(/. 218. Creeping stem of the Sand Carex CCarex arenarid). 1. Terminal 

 bud by wliicli the stem continues to elongate. 2, 3, 4. Shoots produced 

 from former buds. 



called a Soboles, and popularly a creeping -root. It is a slender 

 branch wliich runs along beneath the surface of the earth, 

 emitting roots from its lower side, and buds from its upper, in 

 the same manner as tlie rhizome, and it is considered by many 

 botanists as a variety of that stem. The only differences existing 

 between the creeping stem as defined above and the rhizome are its 

 more slender form and entirely subterranean course The Sand 

 Sedge or Carex (Carex arenaria), the Couch Grass {Triticum 

 repen.s), &c., afford good examples. In some instances such 

 stems serve important ])urposes in nature ; tlnis those of the Sand 

 Sedge, by si)reading througli the sand of the sea-shore, bind it to- 

 gether and ])revent it from being waslied away by tlie waves. 

 Others, like those of the Coucli Grass, are tlie pest of the agri- 

 culturist, who finds it very difiicult to destroy them by cutting 

 them into ])ieces, for as every node is cajjable of developing a 

 bud and roots, each i)iece iiito which they will then be divided is 

 capable of becoming an independent iiidivitlunl, and therefore 

 such an operation only serves the purpose of multii)lying such 

 stems by i)liieing the sei)arated parts under more favourable 

 circumstances for development. 



