154 BOTANY. 



STIPE. 



The ligneous stem of monocotyledonous plants, presenting 

 the appearance of a column of the same diameter throughout, 

 except occasionally towards the middle, which is a little in- 

 flated. The stipe is seldom ramified, and is crowned by a 

 bunch of flowers and leaves, forming a kind of capital. In- 

 ternally, the fibres, instead of composing cones fitting toge- 

 ther, are scattered in the midst of a general pith. At the cir- 

 cumference no bark is seen. The oldest ligneous fibres, 

 instead of being at the centre, are, on the contrary, pressed 

 towards the outside, on account of the particular manner in 

 which this stem developes itself. In fact, every year new 

 fibres arise in the centre, which push those of the preceding 

 year towards the circumference. The debris of leaves en- 

 gendered by these new fibres form a kind of ring, which aug- 

 ments with the total length of the tree. This mode of growth 

 has given to the stipe the name of the ligneous endogenous 

 stem. 



CULM. 



Stem proper to grasses, rarely divided, hollow internally, 

 and exhibiting, at intervals, nodes or compact rings, whence 

 spring alternate sheath-like leaves. 



PHIZOMA. 



The subterranean and horizontal stem of perennial plants, 

 concealed entirely or partially beneath the earth, and throw- 

 ing out from their anterior extremity new shoots, as their pos- 

 terior extremity decays. 



STEM PROPER. 



The common stem of plants, and which is not included in 

 any of the preceding species. 



