INTRODUCTION. Ill 



to express by several words what might have been 

 defined by one, because that one was probably strange 

 to the reader. With respect to the organs of plants, 

 he has not noticed the existence of any but those with 

 which it is necessary that the student should be familiar 

 before he refers to the body of the work for a descrip- 

 tion of any plant which he may have found ; these, 

 with their principal peculiarities, may be described at 

 once. They are, BOOT, STEM, LEAP, STIPULES, BRACTS, 

 FLOWER, CALYX, COROLLA, STAMENS, PISTILS, FRUIT, 

 SEED, KECEPTACLE, and NECTARY. 



THE EOOT. The most frequent form of the root is a 

 tuft of fibres, each of which ends in a porous substance 

 serving to absorb moisture from the soil. In many 

 instances, however, the nourishment thus obtained, 

 instead of being transmitted at once to that part of 

 the plant which rises above the ground, is lodged in 

 another organ, which, though partaking in some mea- 

 sure the properties of root and stem, is distinct from 

 both. This too, with the fibres attached to it, is called 

 a root, the fibres themselves being named rootlets. The 

 principal forms of the root are : 



The Creeping Root, familiar examples of which are 

 afforded by Couch-grass and Great Bindweed. 



The Spindle-shaped Root; examples, Carrot and 

 Parsnep. 



A spindle-shaped root which ends abruptly, is termed 

 >remorse (bitten off), as in Premorse Scabious, p. 317. 



The Tuberous Root consists of one or more roundish 

 solid masses, having the power of producing rootlets 

 and buds from several parts of its surface, as the 

 Potatoe. 



The Bulbous Root is a solid roundish mass, producing 

 rootlets at the lower extremity, and a bud at the other; 

 it consists either of fleshy scales, as in the White lily, 

 concentric circles, as in the Onion, or is of one uniform 

 substance throughout, as in the Crocus. This last is 

 sometimes called a corm. 



