FOODS IN PLANTS 



45 



though it does not seed until the next summer after it is 

 planted ; and the cotton plant, the lima bean, the tomato, and 

 the castor bean are instances of plants which with us are culti- 

 vated as annuals, but which in warm climates live several years, 

 the castor bean growing into a large, almost tree-like shrub. 

 Plants which live for more than one year usually have food 

 stored in their roots. 



FIG. 30. Clustered, fleshy roots of the dahlia, with much stored 

 plant food, in early spring 



st, remains of last year's stem ; sh, young shoots beginning to sprout from upper 

 ends of roots. One fourth natural size 



Such biennials as beets, carrots, and parsnips store up much food 

 in the root l during the first summer's growth, and form a large 

 tuft, or rosette, of leaves, but do not develop much stem above- 

 ground. During the second summer the stored food is consumed 

 in the production of leafystems bearing flowers and fruit, and in 

 the autumn the root appears quite withered and nearly dry. 



Herbaceous perennials, like the dahlia (fig. 30) and the 

 common rhubarb, store food in the root during the summer 



1 The underground part of the carrot and the parsnip is part stem and 

 part root. 



