59^ ON THE GERMINATION 



" rite et ordine fiat ilia traductio, res fallal 



THE TUBERA OF THE STEM 



in these plants resemble in every respect that 

 of the seminal germ, which is in fact the first 

 of the series. These are most numerous to- 

 wards the lower part of the stem, which, in * 

 most of the genera, is more or less procum- 

 bent ; in some species, as in Triticum repens, 

 creeping under the soil, and in others, as Agrostis 

 stolonifera, along the surface, but always becoming 

 more or less erect when the panicle or spike is 

 about to make its appearance, the tapering stalk 

 of which shoots from the last tuber of each series. 

 I have already observed, that the involucra of the 

 bulbs of the stem being divided, differ from the 

 entire sheaths of those of the seminal germ. They 

 resemble imperfect leafits, which soon wither. 

 The bulbs, protected by the sheathing base of 

 the leaves of the maternal plant, first germinate 

 from the tubera at the lower part of the stem, 

 where they first arrive at maturity ; those in the 

 upper part seldom producing branches, unless there 

 is sufficient moisture to promote the emission of 

 roots. In such species, however, as have pros- 

 trate stems, whether subterraneous or not, plants 

 are at all times produced. In the rainy au- 

 tumn of last year, I counted fifty branches from 



* Nov* Organ* lib. I. p. 392, 



