CIIAITKK IV 



PROPAGATION BY MEANS OF ROOTS AND STEMS 



48. The primary office of roots and stems is to support 

 and maintain the plant; but these parts may also serve to 

 propagah the />!<i>tt, or to produce new individuals. 



19. PROPAGATION BY MEANS OF RHIZOMES. One office 



of subterranean stems or rhizomes is to propagate the plant. 

 Each stem lias a bud at its end. and from this hud a 

 shoot arises. By the dying away of the older part of 

 the rhizome, this shoot becomes a separate plant, although 

 the rhizome maintains its connection for years in some 

 plants. Shoots may also arise from the intermediate or 

 lateral buds, but the strongesl shoots usually 

 arise from the end or near the end of the 

 rhizome. Pig. 23. 



50. Each successive plant is farther re- 

 moved from the original plant or the start- 

 ing-point of the colony. Thus the colony 

 or "patch" grows larger. Familiar examples 

 are the spreading patches <>r mandrakes or 

 ,M,-i\ apples, quack-grass, Solomon's seal, 

 lily -of -the -valley, terns. Cannas propagate 



by means of rhizomes ; 80 does ginger, and 



roots" can be purchased ai the drug 

 store. Pig. 27 illustrates the spread of a 

 colony of wild sunflower. <>n the righl the 

 rhizomes have died awaj : 

 note i lie 1 1 : i \ eii ends. < *n 

 the left . the bI rong iip-1 urned 

 buds Bhow where the shouts 



J7. Creeping rhlzomea of wild ronflower. 





