io8 DICOTYLEDONS 



resting-buds are similar, but they have in addition two scale- 

 like prophylls inserted below the remainder of the scales. 

 Within the scales are hidden the young foliage-leaves. In 

 February or March the plant blossoms before its vegetative 

 buds unfold ; when the latter become active their scales drop 

 off after being forced apart by the growing stem and by the 

 emerging foliage-leaves (figs. 6-11). Inasmuch as these scales 

 were set close together, after they have fallen their scars form 

 small groups; whereas the fallen foliage-leaves, having been 

 separated by longer internodes, are represented by scars which 

 are widely separated along the stem. Consequently, on parts 

 of the stem which are from one to three years old, it is 

 easy to recognise which portions bore scales. Each such 

 group of scale-scars represents one winter. We can, there- 

 fore, tell the age of a tolerably young stem by counting 

 the number of its groups of scale-scars. Thus, if we com- 

 mence at the apex of a resting vegetative shoot, the por- 

 tion of the stem which connects it with the first group of 

 scale-scars represents one year's growth. Again, travelling 

 farther down, that part of the stem which connects this first 

 group of scars with the next lower group represents another 

 (previous) year's growth, and hence it is two years old, and 

 so on. 



Inflorescences. — The stamens and carpels do not occur 

 together in the same flowers. The staminate flowers are 

 arranged in pendulous spike-like inflorescences — catkins. 

 The carpellary flowers are grouped together in small bud-like 

 inflorescences, which can be recognised by the tufts of red 

 stigmas which protrude from their tips. Both kinds of inflor- 

 escences are borne upon certain axillary dwarf-branches. In 

 order to understand the arrangement of these dwarf-branches, 

 we will follow the growth of a vegetative bud which com- 

 mences to sprout in spring. The bud opens, the stem 

 emerges and grows during the summer, and bears foliage- 

 leaves. In the axils of these leaves three varieties of buds 

 arise — vegetative buds, buds enclosing the young carpellary 

 flowers, and buds destined to grow out into branches bearing 

 the staminate inflorescences. The first two forms of buds are 

 externally similar ; they are resting-buds, and remain dormant 

 during the following winter. But the third type of bud 

 grows out at once and develops into a dwarf-branch. This 



