STEMS AND THEIR VARIETIES 



57 



at h, the terminal bud has grown in spring into a short stem (c), 

 bearing on its sides thin, membranous leaves {d) and ordinary 

 green foliage leaves («), which come above ground. One or 

 more flowers are produced 

 from the axils of the leaves, as 

 at / The substances stored 

 in the stem of the corm {b) are 

 used up in production of these 

 leaves and flowers, and conse- 

 quently, at the end of summer, 

 this part becomes shrivelled 

 and dead, like a. The green 

 leaves (e), however, after they 

 have developed, manufacture a 

 considerable amount of food, and 

 this descends from the leaves, and 

 is stored in the short stem (<:), 

 which thickens in consequence 

 and becomes a new corm at the 

 end of the season. The buds (x) 

 in the axils of the leaves of the 

 new corm remain near its apex, 

 carry on the production of a new 

 series of flowers, leaves and corms 

 in the following year. 



A corm, instead of possessing 

 only one bud at its summit, as 

 at h, often has several buds there, 

 each of which develops into a 

 new corm in the manner de- 

 scribed; thus one corm may give rise to many in a single 

 season. 



(e) A bulb often resembles a corm in external appearance, but 

 consists of a comparatively small stem, upon which is arranged a 



Fig. 23 — Section of Crocus in flower. 

 For explanation, see text. 



