LECT. IV.] THE ROOT. 137 



sorbed by their fibrils directly to the basis of the 

 stem and leaves, or into what is termed a bulb. 

 Besides the bulb, which has a close analogy to 

 buds, all plants, also, that have those underground 

 organs for reproducing or rather continuing the 

 species, which have been named tubers, have 

 fibrous roots ; and although Linnaeus has fallen 

 into the error as far as regards the tuber-bearing^ 

 roots *, and the mistake concerning both them and 

 bulbs continues to be repeated in Botanical works, 

 yet, it is not the less incorrect to regard these organs 

 as roots, which, as I shall afterwards explain to you, 

 are merely appendages to some fibrous roots ; and 

 thence the terms Bulbiferous root, Tuberiferous 

 root, should be substituted for Bulbous root, Tuber- 

 ous root. In the bulbiferous roots the rootlets are 

 attached to the basis of the bulb, either directly 

 or by the intervention of a radicle plate -^ ; in the 

 tuberiferous they proceed from the basis of the 



* Linnaeus defines them thus: " Tuberosa (radix) quae sub- 

 " rotundis constat corporibus in fasciculum collectis ; Pceonia, 

 " Hemerocallis, Helianthus r Solanum, Filipendula." Phil. Bot. 

 80. 6. 



j- The term Bulbiferous root has already been adopted by 

 Mirbel, who thus defines it ; " Nous devons entendre par ra- 

 " cines bulbiferes, des tubercules minces, elargis en plateau dont 

 " la surface inferieure produit des filets radicaux, et dont la 

 " surface superieure porte un ognon, ou bulbed Elem. de Phys. 

 veget. t. i. p. 91. 



