OF THE STEM. 



43 



are erect, as in the poplar, others pendent, as in the willow, and 

 some, as in the oak, form nearly a right angle with the trunk 

 These various circumstances constitute distinctive characters in 

 plants, a knowledge of which is very necessary to the painter. Of all 

 oiu- forest trees, perhaps none, in the disposition of its branches, pre- 

 sents a more beautiful and graceful aspect than the elm. 



The branches of trees, as they grow older, usually 

 form a more open angle with the trunk than at firet 

 We often see branches form a very acute angle, but as 

 the tree advances in age, the angles enlarge more 

 and more, until the branch becomes pendent. 



Some stems are remarkable for bearing httle hulbs, 

 called bulhilles, in the axilsof their leaves. These, like 

 the bulbous root, contain within them the germ of a 

 new plant. The lilium hulhifeinim, or tiger-lily, is of 

 this description. (Fig. 30.) The bulbs are of a red- 

 brown colour, about the size of a large gooseberry. 

 They begin, soon after they are formed, to detach 

 themselves from the plant, and falling upon the ground, 

 shoot out fibres and take root. This splendid tiower 

 may thus be rapidly increased. 



A remarkable phenomenon is described by travel- 

 lei s, as being exhibited by the stems of the Banyan 

 tiee of India, Ficus Indicus ; these stems throw out 

 fibres, which descend and take root in the earth. In 

 piocess of time, they become large trees; and thus 

 fiom one primitive root, is formed a little forest. This 

 3Q tree is called by various names ; as the Indian-God- 

 tree, the arched-Fig-tree, &c. The Hindoos plant it 

 near their temples, and in many cases, the tree itself serves them 

 for a temple. Milton speaks of this tree, as the one from which 

 Adam and Eve obtained leaves to form themselves garments ; he 

 says it was not the fig-tree renowned for fruit, but 



" Such as at this day to Indians known 



In Malabar or Decan, spreads her arms, 



Branching so broad and long, that in the ground 



The bended twigs take root,'and daughters grow 



About the mother tree, a pillar'd shade 



High over-arched, and echoing walks between." 



Ficus Indicus. 



You have 

 here, a rep- 

 resentation of 

 this wonderful 

 tree, which is 

 said to be ca- 

 pable of giving 

 shelter to sev- 

 eral thousand 

 persons. 



All the vari- 

 eties of stems, 

 which we have 



now considered, may be included under two divisions ; 1st, such as 

 grow extenicdly, having their wood arranged in concentric layers; 



Branches alter in their angles as they grow older— Bulb-bearing stems— Rootinflr 

 stems. 



Fig. 31 



