MONOCOTYLEDONE^E. 55 



having an exterior investment of incrassated, station- 

 ary leaves, yet the flower stem rising not always from 

 the same place, shows that they possess one property 

 of the true tuber. Some species of the lily repro- 

 duce themselves hy gems ejected from the axillae 

 of the leaves, which have all the parts and powers of 

 bulbs or seed. 



Among the Asphodelece we find the favourite 

 vegetable delicacy Asparagus. It may be called a 

 much divided tuberous root ; the divisions united in 

 a compound crown, whence the stems rise in succes- 

 sion. Offsets having a short pedicle or runner, are 

 detached periodically, and generally in one direction, 

 from the first station ; the oldest divisions of the 

 crown dying off as young ones are produced. 



Fig. 23. 



The roots of Asparagus, showing the manner of increase. 



Tuberous-stemmed plants are such as have their 

 collet surrounded, not by bracteous-like leaves, but 

 by, as before observed, a large body of pulpy, or 

 farinaceous, or ligneous cellular matter ; on the ex- 

 terior of which the gems producing leaves, stems, 



