59 



i 



* ^ 



however, to be seen in Fig. 4, and shows the bifurcation 

 mentioned above. There is to be observed a difference 

 in regard to the roots and the foliage, if we consider the 

 older, full-grown and flowering specimen, the rhizome and 

 roots of which are shown in Fig. 5. The primary root is 

 either no longer present or is not to be distinguished 

 from the equally developed secondary roots. It is most 

 probable that it has disappeared during the gradual growth 

 of the plant. Another thing is the presence of a slender, 

 thin, not at all tuberous root (r^), which proceeds from the 

 rhizome at the very base of the stem. This part is covered 

 with several (usually six) scale-like leaves, so that our plant 

 has two different kinds of roots as well as of leaves. The 

 roots are tuberous or slender and the leaves underground 

 and scale-like or above ground and ternately compound. 



Thalictrum dioic7nn 



Two germinating plantlets have been figured in Plate V, 

 Figs. 6 and 7, and show the presence of a distinct primary 

 root (R), which already forms several lateral branches in this 

 very early stage. The hypocotyl is frequently very short, 

 and there is a wreath of rather long root-hairs at the base, 

 where it passes into the root. The cotyledons, which are 

 above ground, are long-petioled, with the blade varying 

 from ovate and acute to broadly ovate and obtuse. The first 

 leaf after the cotyledons has mostly the same form as the 

 leaves that develop later. It is decompound, with the divi- 

 sions cordate, obcordate or roundish. The primary root is 

 not of long persistence, and is replaced by several sec- 

 ondary ones, developed from the base of the stem, which can 

 be seen on an older plant (Fig. 8). 



We have there a vertical stem, bearing several leaves, 

 of which the lowest are from the previous year and 

 faded. The internodes are very distinct, and at the two 

 earliest, buds have developed, so that the complete rhi- 

 zome is indicated as being vertical with ascending shoots. 

 We see this final form of the rhizome in Fig. 9, drawn from a 

 flowering specimen, which shows the relatively short under- 



