CULM. SCAPE. PEDUNCLE. 25 



use is made of it in building, the houses of the poor being 

 almost entirely composed of it, with the crevices stopped 

 with mud or clay. Bridges are also constructed of it, as well 

 as cups for drinking, mats to lie on, pipes for conveying 

 wa ter, boxes for various purposes, and fences for fields and 

 gardens. Of its fibres, sacking is made to hold grain, and 

 of ihe same, cordage and cables for ships are formed. In 

 China, Bamboo serves to make, not only chairs, tables, and 

 bedsteads, but bedding also, and paper is said to be made of 

 it. In the West Indies it serves for a great variety of me- 

 chanical purposes, besides which, its tender shoots are 

 pickled for the table. 



Geniculated Culm; (Culmus gemculatus.) Geniculated 

 means bent like the knee. This culm is peculiar to a few 

 species of Grass, among which are the Floating Fox-tail, 

 (Alopecurus geniculatus.) 



Simple Culm, (Culmus enodis.) This is a culm without 

 joints, or knots, and is generally straight and smooth, as in 

 the common Rush, (Juncus,) and the Cat's-tail, (Typha.) 



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Fig. 21. 



SCAPE, (Scapus,) Fig. 21. This is 

 the Flower Stem. It springs from the 

 root, and elevates the flower, and bears 

 the fruit, but not the leaves. The Side- 

 saddle flower, (Sarracenia,) Daffodil, 

 Primrose, (Primula,) and the Colt's- 

 foot, (Tussilago,) are examples. These 

 are called acaules, or stertdess plants. 

 Several of the violets are stemless, and 

 are thus distinguished from those whose 

 siems bear leaves as well as flowers. 



PEDUNCLE, (Pedunculus,) the Flower stalk which springs 

 from the stem or branch, and bears the flower and fruit, but 

 no leaves. Trie pedicel, or partial flower stalk, is the ulti- 

 mate subdivision of the peduncle. The Common Elder, 

 (Sambucus Canadensis,) is an example. The peduncle is the 



How is the simple, distinguished from the jointed, culm ? What is a 

 scape? What are familiar examples of the scape? What is the pe- 

 duncle ? 



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