28 OBJECT LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



33. It is also necessary to be acquainted witli the vari- 

 ous forms of the apex of leaves. This diagram (Fig. 56) 

 will assist the memory. The apex may be acmninate^ end- 

 ing in a long, tapering point; or cusj>idate^ suddenly con- 

 tracted to a sharp, slender point ; mucronate^ tipped with 

 a S2>iny point ; acute^ simply ending with an angle ; obtuse^ 

 blunt. 



34. Or the leaf may end without a point, being truncate, 

 as if cut square off; retuse, with a rounded and slightly de- 

 pressed end where the point should be ; emarginate, having 

 a small notch at the end; obcordate, having a deep inden- 

 tation at the end. See also, and exphiin, the diagram ol 

 the bases of leaves (Fig. 57). 



LESSON VII. 



COMPOUND LEAVES. 



35. A COMPOUND leaf consists of several distinct blades 

 borne on one petiole. (See Lesson Y., first paragraph.) 

 These separate blades are called leaflets. You notice that in 

 Fig. 39 each of the five leaflets has its own foot stalk, called 

 petiolule^ and its own midvein, &c. 



36. The Eose leaf (Fig. 58) is pinnately compound, or Eim- 



33. What does tlie term acuminate imjDly ? What sort of apex is i uspi 

 date ? miicronate ? acute ? obtuse ? 



34. When may we call the apex truncate ? retuse ? emarginate V ohcor 

 date ? Please name these several forms of the bases of leaves. 



35. Define a compound leaf. What is a leaflet ? What do you call the 

 foot-stalk of the leaflet ? 



