iO VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



the fruit to ripen at the bottom of the water. All 

 that we have said of twining stems is applicable to 

 these scapes. 



Section VII. 

 Of Bracts. 



Bracts, in general, are the leaves from the axil of 

 which the floral branches, their ramifications, or even 

 the pedicels themselves, proceed ; they differ from 

 ordinary leaves in form, size, colour, &c. or, at least, 

 what is more constant, in their not bearing true buds 

 in their axils, the flowers replacing them. 



That bracts are only leaves modified by their position, 

 it is hardly necessary to endeavour to establish, seeing 

 that the slightest inspection of them suffices to show it. 

 This opinion is especially demonstrated by frequent 

 cases where the bracts change into true leaves, as hap- 

 pens in several Cruciferse, Plantains, &c. 



In simple inflorescences, such as the raceme of a 

 Hyacinth, the pedicels all spring from the axils of bracts, 

 and there is no difficulty in distinguishing these organs ; 

 but in compound racemes there are as many different 

 orders of bracts as degrees of ramifications. The com- 

 mon name of bracts is given to all, except in one single 

 case, — that where the last ramifications of a compound 

 inflorescence bear pedicules terminated by a single 

 pedicel, or, as is commonly said, when the pedicels are 

 articulated in their length ; then the little bracts which 

 are found at this articulation are sometimes called 

 Bracteoles. This distinction is not strict, but it is, 



