Leaves, Buds, Blossoms, and Branches 69 



buds. What is the position of a lateral 

 bud with respect to the base of the leaf 

 or the leaf scar? 



The outer parts of a bud are to pro- 

 tect the delicate parts within. If these 

 were unprotected, in what ways might 

 they be injured? Examine the protec- 

 tive coatings. How many devices do 

 you find for protection ? 



What differences do you notice be- 

 tween the buds of different trees? If 

 some one were to bring you a bud he 

 had cut off from a hickory or maple or 

 poplar tree, could you tell from which 

 tree it had come? What other trees 

 could you recognize by the buds? 



Blossoms. Botanists think of a 

 blossom as a leafy branch that has 

 failed to grow out long. The parts of 

 the flower, which are supposed to be 

 very much modified leaves, are crowded 

 close together because of the shortness 

 of the branch on which they grow. 

 Although the organ or organs at the 

 center of a flower (the pistil or pistils) 

 do not ordinarily resemble leaves, yet 

 there are good reasons for thinking that they are really 

 leaves which instead of growing broad and flat have 

 developed so as to inclose the seeds. 



A flower bud as well as a leaf bud may therefore be 

 considered an unexpanded branch. The flowers of 



U. S. Forest Service 

 FIG. 40. Twig of 

 a horse-chestnut, 

 showing lateral 

 buds and terminal 

 buds. The leaf 

 scars are just be- 

 low the buds. The 

 lenticels may be 

 seen as small dots 

 scattered over the 

 twig. 



