PARTS OF PLANTS. 



Plants vary endlessly in turn but, with the excep- 

 tion of a few parasitic ones, all have roots. 



FORMS OF ROOTS. The form of root most often 

 found on plants is the fibrous root, made up of numer- 

 ous branching rootlets or fibres. The thick, fleshy, 

 horizontal root found on most perennials is called 

 the rootstalk; the plant stem grows in new positions 

 each year, leaving scars to denote the locations of 

 stems of previous years. Many grow from round 

 Bulbs, composed of over-lapping fleshy scales; oth- 

 ers have solid, fleshy bulbs, or Corms. Often roots 

 give off what are called Stolens, underground running 

 roots that at intervals throw up new plants and form 

 new roots. 



FORMS OF STEMS. A Simple stem is one that 

 rises from the root, with no branches before the fltbw- 

 er or flower-cluster is reached. Stems are Erect 

 when they are stout, stiff or perfectly capable of 

 maintaining themselves in an upright position. They 

 are Reclining when they are too weak to hold them- 

 selves erect. They are Prostrate or Creeping when 

 they run along the ground, rooting at intervals, or 

 from angles of the leaves; such stems usually turn 

 up at the end or give off erect flowering branches. 

 A plant is called stemless when the leaves all ra- 

 diate from the base; in such cases the stalk bearing 

 the flowers is the Scape. 



FORMS OF LEAVES. Leaves are Linear when 

 they are exceedingly narrow compared to their width, 

 and the sides are practically parallel. They are 



