12 



FAMILIAR LESSORS IN BOTAKY. 



in botany that the oak, cedar, orange, mezquit, retamma, 

 grasses, etc., are called perennials. 



Section III. — Form. 



18. Yon will find a distinguishing feature of botany to 

 be that it calls for a close and marked observation of seem- 

 ingly unimportant particulars. Frequently the identifica- 

 tion and separation of a plant from all its congeners will 

 hinge upon what a casual observer would consider a trifle 

 quite unworthy of notice. This is as true of the study of 

 the root as any other organ. "We have talked about the 

 situation, uses, and duration of roots, but still a very 

 important part of the study is yet 

 before us; that is, the different forms 

 under which roots present themselves. 



19. Perhaps we see the fibrous 

 {Radix fibrosa— fihra, thread) as often 

 as any other. Most of the grasses and 

 many annuals have this form of root, 

 resembling a bunch of threads tied 

 together. Plants that frequent dry, 

 sterile sands are furnished with 

 fibrous roots, these having a greater 

 number of spongioles by which to ab- 

 sorb the scanty nourishment. 



20. Creeping roots (Radix rejjens 

 — reijens, creeping) send out brandies 

 that do not penetrate downward, but 

 run horizontally along the surface, 



sending down fibers here and there along the stem. On the 

 Mexican Gulf coast we find almost all the plants with these 



18. What is a peculiar feature of botanical invcstiijation ? What do we now 

 proceeci to talk about ? 



1 9. Describe the fibrous root. Where are they generally found ? 



20. What of creeping roots? What does repens mean? What of Holland? 

 What lesson should we learn from the radix repens f 



Fig. 1. 



