A MANUAL OF BOTANY 23 



The Rhizome or Horizontal Underground Stem 



Kinds of plants with rhizomes. Examine the underground 

 stem of a fern, common sand rush, Solomon's Seal, or false 

 Solomon's Seal ; observe the apical bud or buds. Are there 

 any lateral buds ? What evidences are there of former 

 attachments of aerial stems ? What caused the scars ? 

 Observe the roots, as to their number and place of origin. 



Make drawings of the various rhizomes furnished. 



Purpose. What advantage, if any, is the one apical bud ? 

 Why is the stem direction horizontal ? What advantage to 

 any plant is the possession of an underground stem of this 

 character ? 



From a study of these various rhizomes, find some con- 

 stant character that enables one to decide that these struc- 

 tures are stems and not roots. 



Table. Read under the title " Rhizomes," and in other 

 Avays, try to find out a number of useful plant products, 

 furnished by these peculiar forms of stems, and place in a 

 table as follows : — 



Note. Remember that many rhizomes are commonly designated 

 as "roots" in both common and commercial language. Bloodroot, 

 ginger root, etc., are rhizomes. 



Field work. Examine, in the proper season, plants that 

 bloom in early spring, with reference to their underground 

 portions. Observe the number that have rhizomes. Ex- 

 plain the presence of such structures in early blooming 

 plants. What advantage may there be that will insure 

 rapid growth? 



