52 



BUDS. 



the same arrangement as the leaves. If the leaves be alter- 

 nate, the branches will be so ; if opposite, the branches will 

 have the same arrangement. It happens, however, that by 

 the nondevelopment of some of the buds, or unequal elonga- 

 tion of the stem, the branches exhibit some diversity ; but 

 the reason for any deviation may readily be seen, having as 

 they will, their foundation in the above facts. 



58. Adventitious buds may have their origin in any point 

 where there is an anastamosis of woody fibre. (Lindley.) 

 Perhaps no subject in Botany has excited more interest, or 

 has more completely eluded the research of philosophers than 

 the origin of adventitious buds. It is entirely removed from 

 .our observation. Every part of a plant from the root to 

 the flowers seems to be endowed with the power, under cer- 

 tain circumstances, of developing buds; yet to determine the 

 condiiions on which their development depends, has as yet, 

 baffled every effort. I have now before me a plant of the Bry- 

 ophylium, (a present from A. VV. Hammond, Esq.) and from 

 a fallen leaf of which, there are putting forth ten buds from 

 the angles of the serratures of the leaf. Tlie leaf lies as it 

 fell upon the moist soil in its natural position as to surface. 

 Duhamel supposed that they had iheir origin from preor- 

 ganized germs, which are deposited by the proper juice in its 

 descent from the leaves, and of coarse pervade every part of 

 the plant. This is mere hypothesis vvith not a fact to estab- 

 lish its truth, and as Mr. Nuttall remarks it is impossible to 

 prove its falsity. Mr. Knight believed, that they have tiieir 

 origin in the alburnons vessels, which he supposed possessed 

 the power of generating central vessels, by v/hich he means 

 vessels of the medullary sheath. His hypothesis is founded 

 on no better basis tiian that of Duhamel. Mr. Nuttall be- 

 lieves, that buds are preorganized germs, but that they have 

 their origin in the first development of the stem or branch 

 on which they put forth. There are decided objections to 

 this theory, but our space forbids our entering into a discussion 

 on the subject or even fully stating the theories alluded to. 



59. The structure of the adventitions buds is, in all re- 

 spects like the normal or axilary buds, having pith in their 

 center surrounded by spiral vesstls and enclosed by woody 

 fibre and cellular integument. From the existence of spiral 

 vessels in adventitious buds which arise from the root, it seems 

 to us a very strong argument in favor if the existence of 

 spiral vessels in this organ under a very slightly modified 

 form; and from this and various other circumstances, we are 

 led to believe that the constitution of the root and the stem 



