I'HANEROGAMIA : FOLIAR ORGANS. 271 



if sheathing, as in the Polygonacece ; or stipules (stipules), if appear- 

 ing like special leaflets stationed beside the base of the petiole ; 

 lastly, in the floral leaves, fornix, corona, nectarium, c., as in 

 Lychnis, Boraginacece, Narcissus, &c. They occur as stipules, es- 

 pecially in compound leaves, where, sometimes, they alone are 

 developed into a flat surface, while the leaf itself merely forms a 

 filiform process, e. g. in Lathyrus Aphaca. At the base of the 

 leaflets of compound leaves also little lobes sometimes occur, 

 which, perhaps originating in the same manner, are called stipelles 

 (stipellce). 



The organs just mentioned are developed last of all the parts of the 

 leaf, as follows from the regular development of the leaf, from the sum- 

 mit to the base, but which may easily be demonstrated by observation of 

 any bud of a plant which has but any stipules sufficiently perfect to faci- 

 litate the investigation, as in Rosacece, e. g. Sorbus aucuparia, in Legu- 

 minosce, Ervum nigricans, Orobvs albus, Lathyrus sphcericus, Pisum 

 sativum (plate 77. fig. 1. et seq.), Robinia Pseudacacia, Psoralea affinis 

 and fruticosa, &c. Link* asserts the contrary, evidently because he has 

 never minutely examined the development of a bud, otherwise such an 

 assertion would be impossible. Subsequently, their development of 

 course goes forward more rapidly than that of the other parts, and they 

 not unfrequently envelope the leaf to which they belong, in the bud, 

 this acquiring its relatively large size at a later period by the expansion 

 of its cells. The terminology of the parts is quite endless, for every single 

 variation in the perfect plant is marked with a new name, without re- 

 gard to the nature and origin of the organ ; nay, a different origin is 

 sometimes designedly indicated by the name, where the most superficial 

 investigation would have shown that only one and the same part was in 

 question, e. g. vagina stipularis and petiolaris.\ Fancy has also been 

 busy here in filling up the vacuities, which no one had an inclination to 

 explain by fundamental investigation Growing together of the stipules 

 with the petiole, &c., are quite current expressions, but without the least 

 meaning ; there is no growing together in the matter : petiolus alatus 

 and stipulce adnatce do not differ the least in the world from each other, 

 beyond the so-called wings running out into a little point above, in the 

 latter. Arbitrary playing with words without any scientific foundation, 

 has here, as almost everywhere, made mere patch-work of the termi- 

 nology. 



If we trace the development of these parts in the most different 

 families of Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, we readily become con- 

 vinced that all are really one and the same part, a greater development 

 of the lower portion of the leaf or leaf-stalk ; and, indeed, in most cases, 

 particularly distinctly in the Monocotyledons, on account of the position 

 of the foliar organs in the developing bud, and the pressure thus exercised 



* Elem. Phil. Bot. ed. 2. t. i. p. 465. 



f Meanwhile, it is to be observed, that in some Monocotyledonous families two very 

 different things are included under one name, as in the Aracete. Here, e. g. in Pothos, 

 it not unfrequently occurs that the leaves are developed quite differently, alternating 

 regularly; one consisting of lamina, petiole, vaginal portion and stipular sheath ; the 

 succeeding one appearing as a mere thin membranous sheath, which is neither a stipular 

 sheath nor a vaginal portion, but an exceedingly aberrant form of the whole leaf. The 

 description of such a plant must therefore necessarily be folia dimorpha, foliit ince.qnali- 

 bus, cJtcniantibns, &c. 



