162 WILD FLOWER PRESERVATION 



SCALES, BRACTS, AND STIPULES. 



Scales are small organs, generally sessile, 

 having a superficial resemblance to leaves. 

 They are seldom capable of the same functions, 

 and generally differ in color and texture. 

 When serving to protect young shoots they usu- 

 ally overlap like the scales of a fish or the tiles 

 of a roof. 



This arrangement is known as Imbricated. 

 (40) 



Bracts are small upper leaves on the flower- 

 stem, sometimes only those Immediately below 

 the flower. They are generally sessile, and 

 also differ from the other leaves in shape and 

 arrangement, and often in color. (41) 



A Spathe is a bract enfolding the flowers of 

 certain plants. (42) 



An Involucre is a ring of bracts round the 

 base of a flower cluster; or it may consist of 

 many rings closely overlapping each other 

 round the base of a flower-head. (43, A and B) 



Stipules are leaf-like appendages found at 

 the base of some leaf-stalks, at times very like 



