BOOK VI. 
MORPHOLOGY. 
525 
apparent from Ornithogalums, luxuriant plants, proliferous 
plants, double flowers, and Cardui." 
In December, 1760, these novel propositions were sustained 
by Linnaeus in a thesis prepared in the name of his pupil Ull- 
mark, called the Prolepsis Plantarum. The substance of this 
paper I shall endeavour to condense, in order that it may 
appear how far the discoveries or hypotheses of some modern 
writers are entitled to novelty ; leaving out, however, all that 
relates to the physiological explanation given by Linnaeus of 
his doctrine, which, being formed upon notions that, although 
entertained at that time, are now known to be inconsistent 
with facts, need not here be repeated. 
Linnaeus commences by remarking, that " as soon as leaves 
have expanded themselves in spring, a bud is observable in 
the axil of each. This bud swells as the year advances, 
and in time becomes manifestly composed of little scales : in 
the autumn the leaves fall off, but the bud remains ; and in 
the succeeding spring swells, disengages itself from its enve- 
lopes, and becomes lengthened : when its outer scales have 
dried up and fallen off, the inner ones are expanded into 
leaves (like the wings of a butterfly emerging from its pupa), 
which separate from each other by means of a gradual exten- 
sion of the young branch, and presently each new leaf is found 
to contain in its bosom a little scaly bud, which, in the follow- 
ing season, will also be developed as a branch, with other 
leaves and other buds. Now, when I see a tree adorned with 
leaves, and in the bosom of these leaves provided with its 
little buds, it is natural to inquire, of what do these buds con- 
sist ? Do they consist of the rudiments of leaves with their 
gemmules, the latter of other leaves and buds, and so on to 
infinity, or, at least, as far as the extension of the plant is 
likely to proceed ? Nature organises living beings out of such 
minute particles, and even from fluids themselves, that the 
best eye may in vain seek to penetrate far into her mysteries. 
I shall, however, endeavour to show that the composition of 
buds does not extend further at one time than provision for 
six years ; just as, among animals, we find the little Volvox 
glohator containing within the mother its children, grand- 
children, great-grandchildren, and great- great-grandchildren 
