LEGUMINOS.E 



169 



r 



sagittate, narrow, and pointed. The upper and lower 

 limbs, moreover, do not lie in the same plane, but are 

 somewhat twisted relatively to one another. In other 

 species, as, for instance, in L. jrratensis (Fig. 115), they 

 are sagittate. 



Now, if we open the bud of L. maritimus (Fig. 113) 

 we find that the young leaves and stipules occupy most 

 of the space be- 

 tween the outer 

 stipules, which 

 cover and protect 

 both the leaves 

 and stipules of all 

 the younger ones, 

 as well as the in- 

 florescences and 

 their own leaf 

 its earlier 

 They are 

 cordate, 

 equally sagittate, 

 and glabrous like 

 the rest of the 

 plant, with nume- 

 rous strong nerves radiating from the point of their 

 insertion on the axis. The smaller auricle is generally 

 ovate or triangular and entire ; the larger one has three 

 or four cusps or teeth. The stipules form a very 

 efficient protection to the leaves till they attain a con- 

 siderable size. 



In L. latifolius (Figs. 118, 119) the upper limb of 

 .the stipule also protects the younger leaves, which, how- 

 ever, have only one pair of leaflets, and not, therefore, 

 occupying so much room, do not require such wide 

 stipules. The stalk, however, being very wide, is not 

 entirely covered by the sheathing stipule. Consequently, 

 if the upper stipule had a lower limb on the outer side, 

 the latter would be exposed. The lower limb, which is 

 on the inner side, lies snugly ensconced between the stem 



m 



stages. 



sessile, 



un- 



Fic. 



114. — Stipule of 

 Lathyrus grandi- 

 JloTUS. 1^ nat. size. 



Fig. 115.— Stipule oi Lathy- 

 rus prat&nsU. 1^ nat. 

 size. 



