I04 GLIMPSES IXTO PI.AXT-LIFE 



that is to sa)-, the second leaf Ljrows out of the 

 first, and the third leaf and its stem ^row out of 

 the sheath of the second leaf, and so on ; and this 

 is the law of their growth, whether the)' be corn 

 plants or palm-trees. These sheathing leaves and 

 the straight veins \\ill always enable us to recog- 

 nise a one-seed leaf-plant at sight. 



The development of the stem has a marked 

 influence upon the arrangement of the leaves ; 

 these, in such plants as the cyclamen, sundew, or 

 primrose, are said to be radical ; that is, growing 

 from the root. Close observation \\ill reveal the 

 cause to be the non-development of the internode.s, 

 the leaves being crowded upon a very short, sup- 

 pressed stem, and thus we get the beautiful little 

 rosettes we find in the dais}' and plantain. When 

 the stem is of greater length the lea\'es are ranged 

 at definite intervals, the spaces between the leaves 

 (the internodes) var)-ing in length in j^roportion to 

 the size of the leaf. Small leaves are thus much 

 thicker upon the tree than larger ones. This will 

 readily be seen if we compare a branch of syca- 

 more with one of elm, the former ha\'ing its large 

 leaves much further apart than the latter. 



