102 BUDS AND STIPULES 



equal, narrowly ovate or lanceolate, membranous, and 

 more faintly nerved than the previous pair. The outer 

 stipule envelops about two-thirds of the bud, including 

 its fellow-stipule and the leaf. The latter is ovate- 

 elliptic and folded over the younger members of the 

 bud as a rule. The fourth pair of stipules and their 

 leaf (fig. 148) are sometimes very similar to the preced- 

 ing set, sometimes much smaller. This difference is 

 apparently due to the relative vigour of the axis 

 bearing them. 



A somewhat similar case is afforded by certain 

 species of Magnolia. In Magnolia Yulan the stipules of 

 the uppermost leaf protect the young bud in autumn (fig. 

 149), but when it drops the stipules fall with it. This 

 leaves a small undeveloped leaf-blade (fig. 150, a), which 

 soon perishes. The stipules belonging to it, however, 

 remain, and form a silky case, which protects the bud. 



The* leaf-blade corresponding to a, therefore, is 

 useless and wasted. 



Another species (Magnolia Umbrella) (figs. 152, 153) 

 avoids this waste of power and material. When the last 

 leaf of the year dies and drops off, the stipules belonging 

 to it remain and protect the bud (fig. 153). Under these 

 circumstances the leaf corresponding to a, which in 

 Magnolia Yulan perishes uselessly, in Magnolia Umbrella 

 is still retained, and develops into the first leaf of the 

 following year. In M. Soulangiana, a garden hybrid, 

 there is a similar arrangement. 



