40 THE ROOT. PART I. 



and sometimes they are dispersed in, large and scat- 

 tered lumps united together by thread-like fibres, as 

 in the root of the Potatoe. 



SUBSECTION VI. 



Lateral General Remarks. Such are the principal sorts of 



fibres. . 



roots distinguished by botanists, at least as regarding 



thegeneral outlineof their figure. But the small fibres 

 issuing from the surface of the caudex which are 

 essential to complete the notion of a root, must now 

 also be noticed. Sometimes they are scattered as if 

 at random over the whole surface of the caudex or 

 main division, issuing promiscuously from all parts 

 of it, but particularly from the apex, as in the case 

 ofMalva sylvestris or the Common Mallow. Some- 

 times they issue from the caudex in whirls situated 

 at regular intervals, at least in plants vegetating in. 

 the water or affecting a marshy situation, as in the 

 root of Hippuris vulgar is, and Cicuta virosa. 

 Sometimes they issue from the upper extremity of 

 the caudex, as in Scabiosa succisa ; but always from 

 the lower extremity of the true bulb, where, indeed, 

 they are to be regarded as constituting alone the 

 root. 



Furnished But the fibres thus issuing from the caudex, to 

 which they are generally lateral, are again furnished 

 vt\t\\ still smaller fibres lateral to themselves, and 

 terminating at last in fine capillary, and often 

 transparent points, which are said to be renewed 



