486 



GRAMINE^. CEREALS 



A longitudinal section of a portion of a plant in this early stage 

 is seen at C, Fig. 152, where a is the terminal bud, and b a 

 lateral bud just forming. In Fig. 153 a similar plant is shown in 

 a further stage of development ; the leaves of bud b have now 

 come above ground. 



A shoot may arise in this manner in the axil of each of the 

 lower leaves on the primary stem, the internodes of the latter 



Fig. 153. — I. Young barley plant, a later stage of ^, Fig. 153. The leaves from bud ^ 

 in latter figure have now grown out and burst the enclosing leaf-sheath. 



II. Longitudinal section of I. at first node j, showing the short stem within terminated 

 by a minute ear. Besides the bud b a rudimentary one is seen in the axil of the lower leaf 

 of the main stem, e Adventitious root ; » first node. 



remaining very short all the time (//., Fig. 153). The secondary 

 stems may also develop in a similar fashion. It is thus seen 

 that from a single grain the production of a large number of 

 shoots is possible, and these breaking their way out from the 

 enclosing leaf-sheaths appear finally as a tuft of stems, each of 

 which may subsequently develop an ear of com. 



This formation of many shoots which spring from near the 



