62 THE PHENOMENON OF 



selves. The metamorphosis of plants exhibits three 

 principal divisions : 1, the "stock," or as it is termed in 

 plants not forming wood, the herb (kraut} ; 2, l\\Qfoiver; 

 3, i\\Q fruit. The first two divisions are again divisible 

 each into three stages, while the third principal division 

 does not admit of further analysis. Thus we obtain 

 from 3 + 3 + 1 the number 7 for the stages of form in 

 plants. The character of these seven sections or regions 

 is chiefly expressed in the graduated change of shape of 

 the leaf, while the stem takes a less striking, though still 

 considerable share in the transformation from step to 

 step. We shall therefore consider the steps of the 

 metamorphosis more particularly in regard to the 

 behaviour of the leaf, as it presents itself at the different 

 heights upon the plant, applying to the more essential 

 gradations which are distinguishable the denominations 

 of so many leaf -formations. As a general rule, as already 

 stated, there are seven of these, which, however, do not 

 exhibit perfect representatives in every plant, for their 

 number may be lessened either by imperfect differentia- 

 tion, or by falling short of or overleaping forms. 



1. The cataphyllary formation (Nieder --blatter}, to 

 which belong the scales and sheathing leaves of subterra- 

 neous or aerial buds, bulbs, runners, and tuberous rhi- 

 zomes. They are remarkable from their broad basis, 

 small height, and most simple shape and nervation;* they 

 have no laminse, no stalks, no subdivision,! consequently 

 never have stipules, and are constantly entire. Their 

 consistence is often fleshy, cartilaginous or leathery, in 



* In dicotyledonous plants even these are mostly parallel-nerved, and the 

 parallel-nerved appearance of the euphyllary leaves of the monocotyledons is 

 but a sign that the euphyllary leaf-formation is less characteristically deve- 

 loped in them, and hence is more like the cataphyllary formation than is the 

 case in the dicotyledons. 



f There are exceptions to this in the cataphyllary-leaves separating into 

 two distinct scales, in the buds of certain trees, e. g., Betula, Carpitms, Cori/lus, 

 and Quercus. This structure may be regarded as a transition towards 



the euphyllary-leaf formation, the leaf being here divided into two stipules 

 and an abortive central leaf. In Quercus the first bud-scales are still 

 undivided. These conditions are described by Doll, ' Zur Erklarung dcr 

 Laubknospen der Ameutacen,' 1848. 



