xxvi INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. 



weak, and requiring support in mounting; the clasper or 

 tendril is the usual agent ; for example, the pea^ and many 

 other leguminous (pea-like) plants. 7. the turning or twining 

 stem ascends spirally round other plants. See Plate, 13. 

 8. loosely spreading^ (diffuse and lax;) for example, biting 

 stone-crop,) sedum acre. 9. zigzag, (flexuous,) that is, chang- 

 ing its direction in a curve, from left to right, and the contrary. 

 10. repeatedly forJced, (dichotomous,) continually and regu- 

 larly dividing by pairs, or, in other words, repeatedly forked ; 

 for example, lamb's lettuce^ (ffedia locusta,) mistletoe, (viscum 

 album. See Plate, 10, 11. proliferous, that is, putting forth 

 new branches from the summits of the former ones; for ex- 

 ?a-n\i\e,Jir-tree, (pinus.) \'2. jointed, (see Plate, 14.) 

 A Stem, in shape, may be — 



1. round. 2. angular. 3. winged, that is, with angles ex- 

 tended into flat, leafy-like borders ; for example, everlasting 

 pea, (lathyrus latifolius, &c.) See Plate, 167. 



2. The Straw (or Culm,) is the stem of grasses, rushes, and 

 such kind of plants. 



3. The Scape, is a stalk rising from the root, supporting the 

 flowers only, and not the leaves; for example, narcissus, prim- 

 rose, hyacinth. See Plate, 19. 



4. Flower-stalk or peduncle^ a partial or smaller stem, 

 supporting the flowers only, and not the leaves. T\\Qii.ower- 

 stalk, (peduncle,) is 1. axillary, when proceeding from the 

 bosom of the leaf; for example, between the leaf and the 

 stem. See Plate, 156. 2. opposite to a leaf. 3. terminal, 

 when it is at the end of a stem or branch ; for example, tulip. 

 4. clustered, (aggregate,) when several flower-stalks grow too-e- 

 ther, 5. scattered, or dispersed irregularly, &c. 



5. The Leaf-stalk, (or petiole,) is a partial or smaller 

 stem supporting the leaf, but not the flowers. 



6. In the frond, the branch and leaves are united together, 

 for example, y^nzs. 



7. A stipe is the stem o'i ^ frond. 



II. The leaves of plants are considered as 1. Simple. 

 2. Compound. 3. Determinate. Simple leaves have one leaf 

 only on a leaf-stalk. In shape they may be — 1. round (orbi- 

 culate.) 2. roundish (subrotund,) that is, nearly circular. 



