532 
MORPHOLOGY. 
BOOK VI. 
this is always of a nature partaking both of the leaf and the 
flower. In Abies excelsa the purple scale-like bracts often 
become gradually narrower, and acquire a green colour like 
leaves. It has been stated by some botanists, that bracts are 
distinguishable from leaves by not producing buds in their 
axils; but the inaccuracy of such a distinction is apparent 
from a variety of cases. In Polygonum viviparum, and all 
viviparous plants, the flowers themselves are converted into 
buds within the bracts. There is a bud in the axil of every 
bract of the rose. The common daisy often bears buds in the 
axils of the bracts of its involucre; in which state it is com- 
monly known in gardens by the name of hen and chickens. 
In the permanent monster called Muscari monstrosum, a 
small cluster of branches covered with minute imbricated 
coloured bracts is produced in lieu of each flower. Here all 
the parts of the fructification, instead of remaining at rest to 
perform their functions, are attempting, but in vain, to be- 
come organs of vegetation ; or, in other words, to assume that 
state from which, for the purposes of perpetuating the species, 
they had been metamorphosed by nature. Hence it is clear 
that bracts cannot be essentially distinguished from leaves. 
Such being the case with the bracts, let us see if any 
positive line of demarcation exists between them and the 
calyx. With the calyx begins the flower properly so named ; 
it forms what some morphologists call the outer whorl of the 
fructification, and with it commences a new order of leaves, 
— namely, those of the fructification, — said to be distinguished 
from the leaves of vegetation by their constantly verticillate 
arrangement, and by the want of buds in their axils. With 
the leaves of the fructification all power of further increase 
ceases ; the energies of the plant being diverted, when they 
commence, from increasing the individual to multiplying the 
species. The general resemblance of the caljrx to the ordi- 
nary leaves of vegetation is well known : its green colour, 
and tendency to develope itself into as many leaves as it con- 
sists of divisions, especially in double roses, is so notorious 
that it need not be insisted on. In the case of Mesembryan- 
themum barbatura, noticed by Linnaeus, there is no difference 
v/hatsoever between the leaves of the calyx and those of 
