36 



THE STEM, OB ASCENDING AXIS. 



■beech, birch, oak, and especially in the spruce — ^trees with oval or pyramldai 

 crowns. 



114. But in the other, the soltent axis, as seen in the elm, the apple-tree, 

 the trunk suddenly divides into several subequal branches, which thence depart with 

 different degrees of divergency, giving the urn form to the elm, the rounded form 

 to the apple-tree, the depressed form to the sloe-tree (Viburnum) and dogwood. 



175. The form of the teunk sometimes changes with age, especially in tropical 

 regions, some distorted by huge local excrescences, others swelling out in the midst 

 to " aldermanie" proportions. 



47. (7, An olil willow (Salix Babylonioa) with gnarled and misshapen tmnh. S, Oaudesc of a 

 ojictua (Echinocactus Ottonis). c, Bombax, of Brazilian forests, with distended trunk, d. Pal- 

 metto (Babal, Adns), the caudex rough with tiae persistent bases of the petioles. 



176. Caudex is a term now applied to the peculiar trunk of the palms and tree- 

 ferns, simple, branchless columns, or rarely dividing in advanced age. It is pro- 

 duced by the growth of the terminal bud alone, and its sides are marked by the 

 scars of the fallen leaf-stalks of former years, or are yet covered by their persistent 



177. The stock or caudex of the cactus tribe is extraordinary in form and sub- 

 stance. It is often jointed, prismatic, branched, always greenish, fleshy, and full 

 of a watery juice. Instead of leaves, its lateral buds develop spines only, the stem 

 itself performing the functions of leaves. These plants abound in the warm regions 

 of tropical America, and afford a cooling, acid beverage to the thirsty traveler when 

 springs dry up under the torrid sun. 



178. The vine is either herbaceous or woody. It is a stem too slen- 

 der and weak to stand erect, but trails along the ground or any conve- 

 nient support. Sometimes, by moans of special organs for this purpose, 



