BOTANICAL SUBJECTS. 209 



some cases so fine, that in examining it, it became attracted by 

 the ebonite mounting of my lens, as any other very fine hair 

 would be. Nevertheless, this fine hair was serrated by still finer 

 teeth. Other spathelets or bractlets were a little thicker, and 

 their serrations more visible. We see that any part, however 

 huge it may be in some cases, may have only a hair, as its homo- 

 logue, in other cases. 



We are accustomed to read of stipules as appertaining solely to 

 leaves, but the most cursory glance over the different forms of 

 stamens will show us that identical appendages are met with on 

 those organs. Figs. 63, 64, and 65 do not leave much doubt as 

 to the nature of the appendages on those stamens. 



Fig. 65. Stamen of Aconite (mag.) (Le Maout et Decaisne, p. 185). 



Cotyledons. 



The discussion of the leaf and stamen stipules leads us to 

 another interesting subject, viz., that of the cotyledons. 



The variations in the forms of these organs is very great. 

 Some take the form and substance of leaves, some become stores 

 of nourishment for future use, such as we find in the corm and 

 the tuber. What is their morphological position ? 



If we go back to the stipule and bud-scale we shall, I think, find 

 that cotyledons may be considered more reasonably as either the 

 one or the other. 



It may be as well to recall to the reader's mind the identity of 

 the leaf and stem by quoting what Dr. Masters (" Teratology," 

 p. 356) has said in discussing so-called adventitious leaves in 

 Miconia and Gesnera. " A much more natural explanation than 

 that given by Prof. Morren is that the development of adventitious 



A p. 1724. O 



