16 



TRANSITIONS OF BUD-SCALES 



[CH. 



inner pair, and these than the next, then come two or 

 three pairs of maximum size, closing in the bud by their 

 apices. Inside these scales we 

 then come upon one or two 

 pairs of similarly shaped, but 

 green and herbaceous organs, 

 often very viscid owing to the 

 slimy secretion referred to above. 

 These we hesitate to call scales, 

 because they are not hard and 

 brown, and we will provisionally 

 term them intermediate leaves ; 

 while further in still we have 

 what are undoubtedly young 

 green leaves, closely folded up 

 and very hairy. Occupying the 

 apex of the axis, on which these 

 scales, intermediate leaf-struc- 

 tures and leaves are inserted, 

 is the tuft of organs marked b 

 in the figure, and which is a 

 branched group of flowers. 



When the bud swells and 

 bursts in spring, all mystery re- 

 garding the relations of the in- 

 termediate leaves to the true 

 bud-scales on the one side, and 

 to the leaves on the other, dis- 

 appears, for it becomes clear that 

 they are really intermediate be- 

 tween scales and leaves, and we 

 pass gradually through a series 

 starting on the outside i.e. below with true scales show- 

 ing no vestige of leaf-blade or green herbaceous texture, 



Fig. 8. Successive bud- 

 scales and leaves from an 

 opening bud of JKsculus, show- 

 ing the transition from leaf- 

 scales to fully developed leaves 

 (G). 



