VERNATION OR PRiEFOLIATION. 143 



the bud does not lengthen. This is plainly seen in the spring 

 leaves of the Barberry and of the Larch (Fig. 213), crowded on 

 short spurs, some of which soon elongate into ordinary shoots with 

 scattered alternate leaves. Their 

 nature is less evident in Pines, on 

 account of the peculiar character of 

 the leaves of the main axis, from 

 whose axil the tuft of two, three, or 

 five leaves arises, the primary leaf 

 in this case being a thin and chaffy 

 scale (Fig. 212, a) which soon falls 

 off, while the actual foUage all be- 

 longs to the axillary clusters. So in the common Barberry the prop- 

 er leaves of the lengthened stems are chiefly in the form of spines 

 (Fig. 296), and the actual foliage appears in fascicles in their axils. 



254. As regards their general position on the stem, leaves are said 

 to be radical, when they are borne on the stem at or below the sur- 

 face of the ground, so as apparently to grow from the root, as those 

 of the Bloodroot, Plantain, Primrose, and of the acaulescent (154) 

 Violets : those that arise along the main stem are termed cauline ; 

 those of the branches, rameal ; and those which stand upon or at 

 the base of flower-branches are called floral ; the latter, moreover, 

 are generally termed bracts. 



255. With respect to succession, those leaves which manifestly 

 exist in the embryo are called seminal; the first or original pair 

 receiving the name of cotyledons (120), and usually differing wide- 

 ly in appearance from the ordinary/ leaves which succeed them. 

 The earUest ordinary leaves are termed primordial. These, as well 

 as the cotyledons, usually perish soon after others are developed to 

 supply their place. 



256. As pertaining to the arrangement of leaves, we should here 

 notice the modes in wliich they are disposed before expansion in 

 the bud ; namely, their 



257. Vernation or Praefoliation, The latter is the most character- 

 istic name, but the former, given by Linnaeus (literally denoting 

 their spring state), is the more ancient and usual. Two things are 

 included under this head : — 1st, the mode in which each leaf con- 

 sidered separately is disposed ; 2d, the arrangement of the several 



FIG. 213. Piece of a branchlet of the Larcli, with two fascicles of leaves. 



