286 



VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



Lateral stipules may also be united" together in a con- 

 trary direction, so as to become intra-axillary : this is 

 very clearly observed in Melianthus major (PI. 13, fig, 5) ; 

 the great foliaceous and intra-axillary stipule which dis- 

 tinguishes this species is formed by the union of two, 

 which is easily perceived, both by the disposition of the 

 nerves and by the comparison of it with Melianthus 

 comosus (PI. 13, fig. 4), where the two stipules remain 

 distinct and lateral. I am inclined to believe that all the 

 stipules said to be intra-axillary come under this law ; 

 thus, those of several Rubiacese, Gomphia, Erythroxy- 

 lea9, &;c., are formed by the junction of two lateral ones : 

 there are cases where this fact is perfectly visible. Per- 

 haps in the same manner it ought to be said that the 

 OcHREA in the Polygoneae is nothing but the prolonga- 

 tion of the base of the petiole into membranous stipules, 

 joined together so as to form a more or less complete 

 sheath, more or less detached from the leaf itself. 



In opposite leaves provided with stipules, it frequently 

 happens that those of each side of a leaf are united 

 with those of the opposite leaf, whence it results that 

 there seem to be but two stipules, one on each side com- 

 mon to the two leaves. Several Geraniaceae present 

 this peculiarity in a very evident maimer ; the stipules 

 of the Rubiaceas, with opposite leaves, belong to this 

 class ; they are sometimes united by their base alone, 

 sometimes as far as the apex, so as to seem a single 

 stipule. 



In certain verticillate leaves, such as Ruhia, Galium, 

 &c. the buds or young branches do not spring from the 

 axils of the leaves, but only from two opposite ones. I 

 think that the two furnished with buds are the true 

 leaves, and that the others ought to be considered some- 

 times as foliaceous stipules, (and I think that this is the 

 case in several stellate ones,) and sometimes as the lobes 



