HEPATICA. 15 



Beginning, then, at the root of our new plant, you see 

 that it does not differ in any great measure from that of 

 the Buttercup. It may, in like manner, be described as 

 fibrous. 



The next point is the stem. You will remember that 

 in the Buttercup the stem is that part of the plant 

 from which the leaves spring. Examining our Hepa- 

 tica in the light of this fact, and following the petioles 

 of the leaves down to their insertion, we find that they 

 and the roots appear to spring from the same place 

 that there is, apparently, no stem. Plants of this kind 

 are therefore called acaulescent, that is, stemless, but it 

 must be carefully borne in mind that the absence of the 

 stem is only apparent. In reality there is a stem, but it 

 is so short as to be almost indistinguishable. 



The leaves of the Hepatica are, of course, all radical. 

 They will also be found to be net-veined. 



19. The Flowers of the Hepatica are all upon long 

 peduncles, which, like the leaves, appear to spring from 

 the root. Naked peduncles of this kind, rising from the 

 ground or near it, are called scapes. The flower-stalks of 

 the Tulip and the Dandelion furnish other familiar 

 examples. 



Let us now proceed to examine the flower itself. Just 

 beneath the coloured leaves there are three leaflets, which 

 you will be almost certain to regard, at first sight, as sepals, 

 forming a calyx. It will not be difficult, however, to con- 

 vince you that this conclusion would be incorrect. If, 

 with the aid of your needle, you turn back these leaflets, 

 you will readily discover, between them and the coloured 

 portion of the flower, a very short bit of stem (Fig. 20), 

 the upper end of which is the receptacle. As these 



