62 VITAL ACTIONS. 



condition ; at 6 it is partly changed in a slight degree ; 

 at c all the sepals, petals, and stamens are converted into 

 leaves, but the pistils are little changed; at d the 

 sepals, petals, and stamens are but little altered, but 

 the receptacle of the fruit is lengthening into a branch, 

 and is covered by the carpels partly converted into 

 leaves, and some of them near the apex producing 

 flowers from their axils ; finally, at e, the whole of 

 the floral apparatus is changed into a rosette of leaves. 

 It therefore appears, that although the parts of a 

 flower are different both in appearance and office 

 from leaves, yet that they do all assume, under parti- 

 cular circumstances, the same appearance and office. 

 Hence it is inferred that they are really nothing more 

 than leaves in a modified state ; and, consequently, 

 that a flower is a very short branch, and a flower-bud 

 analogous in many respects to a leaf-bud. A leaf-bud 

 is a collection of leaf-scales of the same or similar 

 form, arranged round a central very short branch, 

 having a growing point. A flower-bud is a collection 

 of leaf-scales of different forms, arranged round a 

 central very short branch, not having a growing point 

 under ordinary circumstances. In this latter respect 

 it resembles those buds of the Larch which form 

 leaves in starry clusters, without extending into a 

 branch. Many points in horticulture could not be 

 explained until the existence of this analogy was 

 made out.* 



* [Tliis doctrine haa been taught at different times, by different 

 independent observers. Among other persona, I find that Mr. Knight 

 had come to the same conclusion, at a time when the views of 



