THE LEAF 



45 



the axil of a leaf axid encloses a portion of the stem 

 above the node, as in chuka-palong {Rumex vesi- 

 carius), pani-marich {Polygonum) (fig. 230). The 

 ochreas are more or less of an intra-petiolar nature. 

 Leaves possessed of stipules are said to be stipu- 

 late, and leaves without stipules, exstipulate. 

 Stipules are important morphological structures, in 

 so far as their pre- 

 sence or absence 

 and their nature 

 serveas very useful 

 guides in the clas- 

 sification of plants. 

 Thus, forinstance, 

 the Leguviinosce 

 (Pulse or dal- 

 yielding plants), 

 the MalvacecB 

 (jaba family of 

 plants), have free 

 lateral stipules; 

 the Rubiacece 



(rangan and 



gandharaj family 

 of plants) have inter-petiolar stipules ; the Polygonacece 

 (chuka-palong family of plants) have ochreaceous sti- 

 pules; \ht. Ficus (Banyan, Peepul, and Fig family of 

 plants) and the Magnoliacece (champa family of plants) 

 have bud-scales; and the Grasses have ligules. 



The manner in which the young leaves remain 

 folded in the bud, and are arranged with reference to 

 one another, is known as vernation or prefolia- 

 TION. The vernation of leaves is also useful from 

 the point of view of classification. The foldings of 

 the individual leaves are of the following principal 



Fig. 45. — Leaves of Rang^an 

 {Ixora cocciitea) 



a, a, Inter-petiolar stipules. 



