254 McDonald: Broad-leaved Wood Garlic. 



cence is terminal, and that leaf F-, and therefore its bulbous 

 base is really the first leaf of a bud in the axil of leaf f^. The 



3/' 



Fig. 7. — Longitudinal diagram to illustrate development of similar 

 bulb to 6. B, bulb ; sc, slieathing scale leaf ; f^, foliage leaf the base of 

 whicii sheaths tiie inflorescence and foliage leaf F'-^, but does not thicken ; 

 F-, inner foliage leaf ; f^, foliage leaf from axil of sc ; the bases of f^ and 

 F^ become bulbs ; inf, inflorescence. 



Fig. II. — Transverse section (diagrammatic) of fig. 10; sc, and F^, 

 show positions of leaves, (now scars), so lettered in figs. 6 and 7. 



Note. — Figs. 10 and 11 are reversed in position from fig. 6. 



leaf F-^ is the first of a bud from the axil of the sheathing scale 

 that surrounds all the leaves just mentioned, as well as the 

 inflorescence. 



As the short piece of axis which bears the scars and roots 

 below the bulbs decays somewhat slowly, the two new bulbs 

 are held by it for another year. When, as is sometimes the case, 

 two pairs of bulbs are attached, this piece of axis has persisted 

 two years, and above it there will be a similar piece to each 

 pair of bulbs. The new bulbs being formed a little above the 

 old ones, shows the necessity for an annual crop of contractile 

 roots to pull them to the proper level, otherwise a few years 

 would suffice to bring them to the surface. These roots are 

 replaced chiefly whilst the new bulbs are forming — the old 

 ones decay in June and July — and appear to perform their 

 work during Summer and Autumn. 



When the leaves are performing their functions above ground 

 some supplementary fine thread-like roots are given off to assist 

 in the absorption of water, etc. 



Mention has been made of the ring of rigid fibres that sur- 

 round the bulbs : these are the fibres of the previous bulb 

 remaining after the fleshy part has disappeared. They may 

 be looked upon as an additional protection to the new bulbs 

 against possible gnawing enemies. To m}^ mind, they are 

 very suggestive of the iron palisades placed around trees to 

 prevent horses, etc., from gnawing the bark. 



In several bulbs which I procured, most of the fleshy portion 

 had been scooped out. In one of them the ' Leather- Jacket ' 



Naturalist, 



