ORGANS OF NITTEITIOX. 



175 



Lathyrus sylvestris. 2nd, The petiole may become cirrhose, as 

 in Lathyrus Aphaca {fig. 360), and many other plants of the 

 Leguminosae. And, 3rd, The stipules may assume the form of 

 tendrils ; thus in many species of Smilax there are two tendrils, 

 one on each side of the petiole (fig. 361). 



PhyUodes or Phyllodia. — In the leaves of some plants, as in 

 Australian Acacias {fig. 362), the vascular bundles of the petiole, 

 instead of remaining till they reach the blade before separating, 

 begin to diverge as soon as they leave the stem or branch and be- 

 come connected by parenchjTua as in the ordinary blade of a leaf ; 

 the petiole thus assumes the appearance of a lamina, and then 



Fig. 363. 



Fig. 36i 



Fig.Z&l. A phyllode of an Aus- 

 tralian Acacia. Fig. 363. Leaf 



of an Acacia {Acacia hetero- 

 phylla), the petiole of -which as- 

 sumes the character of a phyl- 

 lode, and is terminated by a hi- 

 pinnate lamina. The venation 

 of the phyllode may be seen to 

 be paralleL 



performs all its functions. To such a petiole the name otphyllo- 

 dium or j^hyllode has been applied. Li some cases, as in Acacia 



