SECT. VI. THE CAUDEX. 2Q3 



forming as it were the connecting link between 

 such plants as are purely herbaceous on the one 

 hand, and such as are purely woody on the other. 

 In the latter case the wood is perfect; in the former 

 case it is imperfect. 



1. The Wood being imperfect. If the root of As in the 

 the Beet is cut open by a transverse section it beeT-root, 

 will be found to exhibit a most beautiful example 

 of the union of the concentric and divergent 

 layers, as enclosed within a bark, and enclosing a 

 pith ; and remaining at the same time wholly her- 

 baceous. But the mature stem of the full grown 

 olant approaches in part the consistence of wood^ 

 and points out its affinity to shrubs and trees. 



If the stem of the common Cabbage is cut open Cabbage, 

 by a transverse section it will exhibit first a bark ; 

 then an enclosed layer of a firm and compact 

 texture approaching that of wood, and intersected 

 with a multiplicity of divergent rays ; and then a 

 large and firm pulp or pith. The same structure 

 pervades also the root, which is furnished indeed 

 with but little pith, but exhibits the woody part 

 in much greater perfection ; the divergent rays, 

 which are sections of divergent layers, being much 

 larger, and the concentric layers being more in 

 number. In some stages of its growth, the section 

 exhibits divergent layers only, intersecting what 

 seems to be a pulp ; but in its state of decay the 

 woody part separates naturally into a number of 

 fine and concentric layers resembling lace; which 



