168 BUDS AND STIPULES 



times rise above it to a greater or less extent ; in the 

 latter case they are usually much crowded and over- 

 shadowed by the leaves. Judging from these facts, and 

 that they are colourless or soon become brown, their 

 sole fu action would appear to be that of protecting the 

 young stems and leaves. The crowded state of the 

 petioles, the want of space, and their being buried in 

 the soil or overshadowed by the blades of the leaves, 

 hinder any further development of the stipules. 



Even where the root stock is woody and rises above 

 the soil, the petioles are usually much crowded, so that 

 here again the sole function of the stipules would appear 

 to be one of protection. 



The stipules of the cauline leaves gradually become 

 shorter, broader, and more foliaceous higher up the stem . 

 In the bud state these stipules are thoroughly effective 

 in protecting the younger members of the bud; but 

 being often as green and of the same texture as the leaves 

 themselves, they perform also the function of leaves, or, 

 in other words, increase the leaf surface of the plant, as 

 well as being protective in their earlier stages. In cases 

 where they assume the greatest width at the apex of the 

 plant, they do so for the accommodation of the inflor- 

 escence. This case is better exemplified in Trifolium, 

 which will be described subsequently. We have a rather 

 extreme case in Potentilla Tormentilla, where the stipule 

 of the cauline leaves resemble leaflets. 



In all the species examined the stipules owe their 



