14 



ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURAL BOTANY. 



specimens, the annexed engravings may serve as a 

 substitute. 



Beginning then at the root of our new plant, you see 

 that it does not differ in any great measure from that 

 of the Buttercup. It may in hke manner be described 

 Q.sJibrous. 



Fit;. 19. 

 The next point is the stem. You will remember that 

 in the Buttercup the stem is that part of the plant 

 from which the leaves spring. Examining our Hepa- 

 tica in the light of this fact, and following the petioles 

 of the leaves down to their insertion, we find that they 

 and the roots appear to spring from the same place — 

 that there is, apparently, no stem. Plants of this kind 

 are therefore called acmdcscent, that is, stcmlcss, but it 

 must be carefully borne in mind that the absence of the 



