APPENDAGES OF THE STEM. 159 



furnished with these pipes to carry off any excess of 

 water received into the system. 



Bractea. This is a foliar expansion, occupying a 

 middle station and character between the proper 

 leaves, and the Horal members of the plant. Though 

 most commonly seated below the florets, as in Jus- 

 ticia, it is above them in Eucomis. In some instances 

 it resembles the proper leaves, as in Mcspilus ; but 

 is often of a membranous texture, as ffellebbrus. In 

 some cases it is not easy to distinguish bractea from 

 involucre, or even from the calyx. The spatha, per- 

 haps, is only a modification of bractea borne by lilia- 

 ceous plants. 



Were it necessary to proceed with each succeed- 

 ing member of the inflorescence, we should have to 

 notice in the order of their development, the calyx, 

 corolla, nectarium, stamina, pistillum, pericarpium, 

 or fruit ; but these are all so well known and so mi- 

 nutely described in every botanical work, that the 

 task would be superfluous, especially as it would elicit 

 nothing new, or at least nothing but what has been 

 already mentioned, or what will require to be repeated 

 when we come to treat of the expedients necessary to 

 be attended to, or practised, in cultivation. We have 

 alluded to the functions of the different members of 

 plants, as we have had occasion to mention them ; 

 but we pretend not to know the uses of all. In con- 

 sidering the floral members, we see the use of the 

 bracte, and also that of the calyx ; both being evidently 

 defences to the sexual organs ; and these last, from 



