THE GROWTH OF THE SHOOT FROM THE BUD 37 



Sycamore has a large palmately lobed leaf, very different in size and 

 shape from the narrow cotyledons ; whilst the Beech has a simple, 



comparatively small undivided 

 leaf, not very much larger than the 

 cotyledons, and much less fleshy. 

 The cotyledons of the Oak may be 

 compared with its first leaves. The 

 former are thick and fleshy and 

 remain in the ground, whereas the 

 first foliage-leaves are almost scale- 

 like, particularly in the Evergreen 

 Oak (Quercus Ilex), 

 and then follow 

 the well - known 

 foliage- leaves with 

 their sinuate mar- 

 gins. 



Another very 

 interesting seed- 

 ling to observe 

 from this point 

 of view is the 

 Gorse, usually 

 found in May, or 

 if it is an early 

 spring in April. 



r ery often not far from Gorse bushes, young 

 >uds may be seen on seedlings of Gorse, about 

 or 5 inches in height. If carefully observed 

 will be found that the cotyledons are deep 

 een, rather fleshy, and about J inch long. As 

 ie stem develops from the plumule it is suc- 

 ilent, and the first leaves are either simple or 

 ifoliate. Then the stem gets hard and woody and the later 

 leaves become spiny. The branches arising in the axils have 

 spinous leaves from the first. 



Many other instances could be given of the difference in 

 cotyledons and foliage-leaves of the same plants; it is the 



r lG. 21. Seedling of Oak, two years 

 old. Cotyledons enclosed in acorn. 



FIG. 22. Seedling 

 of Gorse. The 

 foliage-leaves im- 

 mediately above 

 cotyledons are 

 not spinous. 



