212 



BUDS AND STIPULES 



The stem of Polygonum (e.g., P. lapathifolium) is 

 somewhat octagonal, with a central cylinder of the same 

 form. Some little way below the leaf eight fascicles 

 (fig. 327, A to H) detach themselves from the angles 

 of the central octagon, and, passing outwards, turn 

 towards the fascicle A. 



Fig. 329. 



Polygonum lapathifolium. 



The fascicle E divides, each branch curving round 

 towards A, and emitting as it does so a branchlet, E lt e. 



When the bundles have separated themselves from 

 the central cylinder, and nearly reached the bark, a slit 

 appears, which, passing from C to G (fig. 329), and gradu- 

 ally extending (fig. 330), finally separates the sheath 

 entirely (fig. 331) from the central axis. The original 



