12 BRANCHING [CH. 
ing shoots. The buds always arise in the axils of the lower 
leaf-sheaths—i.e. they are intra-vaginal. If they remain 
intra-vaginal during further growth, the shoots are forced 
upwards and only tufts (Fig. 2) are formed, except in so far 
as such shoots may fall prostrate on the surface of the 
ground later, and throw out roots from their nodes, and 
so act as runners or offsets, or put out a few roots &c. 
as they ascend through the soil. But in many cases the 
buds soon burst through the leaf-sheaths, and develope 
as extra-vaginal shoots, and may then run _ horizontally 
as underground stolons. Only creeping grasses of these 
latter kinds can rapidly cover large areas!: the grasses 
v 
2 eS = 
= te QW i f 
SIN) LISS De 
BTA SZ 
Tae yO Pr LE DN ee 
3 
\ . < 
~ J ad ™~ A — 
jE SSS ee oe 
a) zC AEN —. SS Vea ) 
—_— ay — — = Le. J . ( — 
Fig. 4. Catabrosa aquatica. Plant showing the creeping habit, rooting 
nodes, and paniculate inflorescence (reduced). Parnell. 
1 Except, of course, in cases of virgin ground rapidly occupied by the 
seedlings. 
