V EG ETA TIVE REPRODUCE/ON. 



265 



veloped brood Ijuds are formed at the ap|)roach of winter 

 about the base of the stem in many perennials with her- 

 baceous tops. These are sejiarated by the death of the [larent 

 stem and produce new plants 

 in the spring. Some aquatics 

 show a similar habit, dropping 

 short shoots to the bottom of 

 the water in autumn, which 

 are to grow in the spring (tig. 



295)- 



366. (c) Offsets, etc. — 



Some plants produce special 

 branches, either underground 

 or aerial, which develop at 

 their extremities new plants or 

 special structures for their for- 

 mation. The house-leek or live- 

 forever (fig. 369) andstonecrop 

 (fig. 296) reproduce themselves 

 by offsets. These are short 

 branches with a rosette of 

 leaves at the tip which is read- 

 ily detached and rolls away, 

 to take root at the first oppor- 

 tunity and establish a new 

 plant. The strawberry and Fig. 298.— a plant of eel-grass (r.;///i«<r- 



^/ii j//7--///j» forming newplants, <7, ^, at 

 eel-grass form long leafless tips of runners, arising from axils of lower 



lea\-es. One third natural size. — .\fter 



branches which take root at the Scimizlein. 



tip and produce new plants, the slender runner subsequentlv 

 perishing (figs. 297, 298). The white potato forms at the 

 end of slender underground branches elongated tubers upon 

 which are numerous buds, any one of which, nourished by 

 the reserve food in the tuber, may produce a new shoot. 

 The slender stem by which the tuber is connected with 



