342 



MANUAL OP BOTANY 



The disposition of the rest of the iutrastelar ground tissue 

 depends upon the arrangement of the vascular bundles in the 

 stele. We may distinguish several types. The vascular bundles, 

 few in number, may be arranged as a circle of wedge-shaped 

 bodies just within the pericycle, as in the stems of Dicotyledons 

 and most Gymnosperms. Then the conjunctive tissue consists 



/'/;/. 728. Culliitertil blimlle Erulli stem of a Muuocotyleiloii. j>li. riiloem. 

 X. Xyleni vessels, p.ph. i'rotuphloein. Tlie bundle is siirroiimleil bv a 

 small-celled sheath nf sclerenehyma. After Kny. 



of a central mass forming the pith, and a number of strands 

 extending between the latter and the pericycle, constituting 

 the so-called medullary rays. The vascular bundles may 

 be numerous, and arranged irregularly, or in a series of circles, 

 in the stele, as in the stems of Monocotyledons. There is 

 then, no pith, but merely interfascicular ground tissue. The 

 latter is generally most conspicuous towards the centre of the 



