250 PHYSIOLOGICAL BOTANY. PART II. 



(245.) Origin of Flower-buds. We find some buds 

 capable of developing into brandies and leaves, and others 

 destined to produce flowers : but it is beyond the limits 

 of our present faculties to ascertain by what law they are 

 thus specially inclined, in their nascent state, to as- 

 sume the one rather than the other of these characters. 

 That leaf-buds and flower-buds have fundamentally the 

 same origin, is apparent from an extensive review of 

 those singular deviations from the ordinary productions 

 of nature, which are termed Monstrosities, as we have 

 already stated in art. 85. The organs developed from 

 a flower-bud serve a temporary purpose, of a very dif- 

 ferent description from that assigned to those which 

 are developed from a leaf-bud ; and when that purpose 

 is completed, they soon decay. The causes which pre- 

 dispose the plant to produce a flower-bud rather than a 

 leaf -bud must begin to operate long before we are able 

 to detect any traces of the bud itself ; and from the very 

 earliest period that we can perceive its existence, it has 

 already assumed the peculiar characters with which it is 

 destined to develop. It is asserted that in some palms, 

 the flower-buds which are to produce flowers during 

 seven successive years may all be detected at one time 

 in the inner parts of the. stem. We may : further notice 

 the manner in which the Lemna? (Duckweeds) are pro- 

 pagated, as affording a striking argument in favour of 

 the common origin of all buds. Each plant is a little 

 green lenticular and frond-like mass, which produces a 

 long pendent root from its under surface (fig. 31.). 

 Its usual mode of propagation is by a bud or gem, which 

 makes its appearance on the edge of the frond, and 

 when fully developed, detaches itself and becomes a 

 separate individual. In some seasons however, and 

 under circumstances suitable to such an event, these 

 plants put forth diandrous flowers, which originate 

 precisely in those spots where the gems are usually de- 

 veloped. 



