92 GENERAL BOTANY 



alternate, opposite, or whorled, as are the leaves. 

 Growth of this kind is termed monopodial, or a 

 monopodium and is the usual arrangement in herbs 

 and young trees. 



In Pines and Firs the branching is always of this 

 type, the terminal bud, unless destroyed by accident, 

 continuing to grow strongly throughout the life of the 

 tree. The branches are whorled and arise from leaf- 

 axils near the growing end, and so are progressively 

 older and longer from the top to the ground. The 

 whole tree is in consequence very regular in shape, 

 and has the appearance of a cone (fig. 15, p. 69). 



But in most of our ordinary trees the terminal 

 bud of the main stem or branch dies at the end of 

 the growing reason, or gives rise to flowers, so that 

 the lengthening of the axis in that direction is 

 stopped. Growth is then continued by a lateral branch 

 stretching out on one side, or, if the leaves are 

 opposite, by two branches, so that the original axis 

 appears to be divided into two. 



In either case the direction of growth is now no 

 longer the same, and it is for this reason that our 

 ordinary trees spread out horizontally and have a 

 more or less rounded appearance so very different 

 from the sharp conical shape of the Fir. 



The third type of branching is a further develop- 

 ment of the second. The terminal bud dies regularly 

 after one or two leaves have been formed, and its 

 place is taken by the lateral bud standing nearest to 

 it. This becomes a branch, which, pushing aside the 

 now dead terminal bud, continues growing in the 

 original direction. 



