BULBS, CORMS, TUBERS, RHIZOMES 



vegetation, it is remarkable that both of them are confined to one 



particular class of flowering plants — that known botanically as 



Monocotyledons. These are plants 



that are easily recognised by 



having (1) leaves with parallel or 



curvilinear veins; (2) the parts 



of the flowers {i.e., the petals, 



-^i- 



Fiu. 5.— Crocus, sliowing new coim on top 

 of old one. 



Fia. 6.— Gladiolus, two new corms over old 

 one, with " spawn ' at base. 



stamens, and carpels) arranged in three's or six's; and (3) when raised 

 from seed, by having only one seed-leaf. 



If these characteristics are borne in mind there will be no 

 difficulty in distinguishing a true bulb or a true corm. 



TUBERS. — A tuber may be described as a short and more or less 

 thickened or swollen shoot or stem furnished with " eyes " or buds. 



Fio. 7.—0xalis crcnala. 



Fig. S.—TroxKCoHm tuberosum. (A.) 

 EXAMPLES OF TUBERS. 



Good examples are seen in the Potato and the Jerusalem Artichoke ; 

 others are the tuberous Begonia, the Cyclamen, the Anemone, Ranun- 

 culus, Aconite, the Arum Lily, Caladium, some Tropseolums, etc. The 

 Dahlia and herbaceous PcEony are examples in which the true roots 

 are swollen and of a tuberous nature, but they contain no vegetative 

 buds. These are borne at the base of the old flower-stems, portions 

 of which should be always retained when the plants are lifted and 

 stored away. Examples of tubers are shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. 



