ON THE STRUCTURE OF BUDS 



155 



appearance of an elongated cone. At the base of each 

 pedestal is a small axillary bud, bearing the secondary 

 leaves or needles in pairs. The brown, terminal part of 

 the primary leaves is thrown off in spring, and these 

 secondary leaves form the ' needles.' 



The brown, primary leaves are thicker towards the 

 centre, and thin off towards the edges. They consist 

 of diverging fibres connected by a thin membrane. 



Ib 



l- - 



FIG. 274. FIG. 275. 



SCOTCH FIR (Pinus sylvestris). 



FIG. 274. Terminal bud ; sc, bases of primary leaf-scales which have been removed, 

 revealing the axillary foliage-leaf buds ; tb", terminal bud of next year ; Ib, 

 lateral bud. 



FIG. 275. Apex of branch, x 2 ; /, terminal bud ; a, axillary buds at the base of the 

 terminal ; Z, base of pair of secondary leaves or needles. 



Towards the edges the fibres turn suddenly backwards, 

 and are frayed at the edges, forming an interlacing tissue, 

 which helps to strengthen the bud (fig. 272). These 

 scales are very numerous. Some of the outer ones are 

 truncate (fig. 275). These are followed by a few that 

 are triangular, subulate, acuminate. Succeeding scales 



