STRUCTURE.] FALSE LEAVES. 305 



are disposed on the axis at regular distances, supply the place 

 of leaves, and usually bear no buds in their axils, but wither 

 early. The three or five uppermost scales alone, on the extre- 

 mity of each annual shoot, are crowded into a circle, and 

 bear, each in its axil, a foliaceous twig. These twigs are 

 articulated at the base like leaves. They are furnished with 

 minute, distichous, alternate, remote, decurrent scales, of 

 which in young plants from ten to twelve, but in older ones 

 frequently, only four or five occur on each twig. From the 

 axil of each of these scales issues a flattened, and irregularly 

 divided twig, which approaches in its nature to a leaf, inas- 

 much as the under surface only, or that which looks towards 

 the earth, is furnished with numerous stomates, whilst the 

 upper surface is green and without stomates. In plants of 

 older growth, the scales, from the axils of which these false 

 leaves arise, ascend and are united to the edge of the latter, 

 appearing at first sight to constitute merely its lowermost 

 segment. Lastly, the branch terminates at the apex, in a 

 false leaf similar to the rest, thus becoming as it were a com- 

 plete leaf, which also in due season falls off, like those below 

 it, and then leaves behind a permanent true axis, from which, 

 in the succeeding year, a whorl of similar leafy branches is 

 to be produced. For figures to illustrate this, see Ray Reports, 

 1845, as above quoted. 



2. Of Stipules. 



At the base of the petiole, on each side, is frequently seated 

 a small appendage, most commonly of a texture less firm than 

 the petiole, and having a tapering termination. These two 

 appendages are called stipules. They either adhere to the 

 base of the petiole or are separate ; they either endure as 

 long as the leaf, or fall off before it ; they are membranous, 

 leathery, or spiny; finally, they are entire or laciniated. 

 By Link they have been called Paraphyllia, and defined as 

 " foliaceous parts, in structure like the leaves, and developed 

 before those organs." 



When they are membranous, and surround the stem 

 like a sheath, cohering by their anterior margins, as in 



VOL. i. x 



