71, 72.] THE STEM. 85 



cumbentj prostrate, trailing. If it recline upon the 

 ground after having at the base arisen somewhat 

 above it, it is decumbent. If it arise obliquely from a 

 prostrate base, it is said to be assurgent ; and if it 

 continue buried beneath the soil, it is subterranean. 

 Such stems, although buried like roots, may readily be 

 known by their buds, as already explained ( 210). 



213. Stems are either simple or branched. The 

 simple stem is produced by the unfolding of the pri- 

 mary bud (the plumule) in the direction of its point 

 alone. As this bud is developed below into the length- 

 ening stem, it is continually reproduced at its summit, 

 and so is always borne at the termination of the stem. 

 Hence the axis is always terminated by a bud. 



214. -The Branching Stem, which is by far the most 

 common, is produced by the development of both ter- 

 minal and axillary buds. The axis produces a bud in 

 the axil of its every leaf ; that is, at a point just above 

 the origin of the leaf-stalk. These buds remain in- 

 active in the case of the simple stem, as the Mullein; 

 but jnore generally are developed into leafy subdivis- 

 ions of the axis, and the stem thus becomes branched. 

 A Branch is, therefore, a division of the axis produced 

 by the development of an axillary bud. It repeats the 

 internal structure of the stem, but is sometimes pe- 

 culiar in being bilaterally symmetrical or having its 

 upper and under surfaces unlike. 



215. The Arrangement of the Branches upon the 

 stem, depends, therefore, upon the arrangement of the 

 leaves ; which will be more particularly noticed here- 

 after. This arrangement is beautifully regular, accord- 

 ing to established laws. In this place we briefly notice 

 three general modes. . The Alternate arrangement is 



