SPRING FLOWERS 117 



close together on the stem, the internodes not elongating in this 

 basal region. These foliage leaves thus form a cluster springing 

 from just above the root. Above their insertion, in plants which 

 are large enough to flower, the shoot continues its growth, and 

 here the internodes are more or less elongated. Usually there is 

 an internode above the basal leaves, and then come two leaves 

 inserted one above the other but close together. The stem 

 may bear two more leaves, but above them continues as a long, 

 leafless flower-stalk supporting the first flower, which thus ter- 

 minates the main axis of the shoot. The plant usually bears 

 more than one flower, and the later flowers terminate lateral 

 branches, which spring from the axils of the leaves on the main 

 shoot. In the axils of the leaves borne by the branches shoots 

 of a third order stand, and also end in flowers. 



The foliage-leaves of the Lesser Celandine have a wide sheath- 

 ing base, a long leaf -stalk, and a heart-shaped leaf -blade. This 

 is of a rather dark green colour above ; in some varieties it has 

 paler blotches. Like the rest of the plant, the leaves are hairless. 

 The leaves borne on the flowering shoots are similar, but have 

 shorter stalks. The scale leaves correspond to the enlarged 

 sheaths of leaves, the upper portion of which is not developed. 



In the axils of the scale leaves at the base of the shoot a number 

 of small buds are developed. There are several of these minute 

 buds in the axil of each scale, so that a considerable number 

 surround the base of the shoot. The buds remain very small, 

 but from each a single tuberous root develops. These do not 

 therefore, like the ordinary absorbent roots, spring directly 

 from the main stem, though, since the buds are not easily seen, 

 they appear to do so. In a flowering plant in April or May the 

 scale leaves have perished, and the tuberous roots in connection 

 with their axillary buds have attained a considerable size. The 

 relation of the root tubers of the Lesser Celandine to the shoot 

 is thus more complicated than appears on first sight. 



Buds are also formed in the axils of the basal foliage leaves 

 which succeed the scale leaves. Usually only one of these, that 

 in the axil of the uppermost leaf, attains any size, but sometimes 

 more than one develops. The enlarged bud is destined to form 

 next year's shoot, and has the structure described above. At 



