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TEXTBOOK OF BOTANY 



branch ; and farther back, on the older parts of the stem, are 

 the bases of the leaves of previous years. Ahead of this year's 

 leaves — that is, nearer the growing point of the stem — 

 are. young leaves, still very small and protected by scales, 



which will push 

 above ground 

 next year or the 

 year after. 

 Growing from 

 the lower side of 

 the stem, here 

 and there, are 

 roots. 



126. Structure 

 of the Stem. — 

 New cells are be- 

 ing continually 

 formed at the 

 growing point ; 

 as these new cells 

 become older 

 they grow and 

 develop in vari- 

 ous ways to form 

 the differeiit tis- 

 sues of the stem. 

 A cross section 

 through an older 

 part of the stem 



„ „ , r , r , (Fig- si) shows 



Jr'iG. 50. — General appearance of a plant of the , . 



bracken fern, showing a portion of the underground ^^ somethmg Ot 



stem, roots, and leaves. The youngest leaves (those the way in which 



nearest the growing point of the stem) are still very ^hese tissues are 



small and do not show m the figure; back of this 



year's leaf are the bases of the dead leaves of previ- arranged. In 



ous years. such a section 



