INTRODUCTION, bo) 
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To signify the general appearances of vegetation, 
botanists often make use of figurative expressions. 
The various periods of vegetation are, 
1. The germination, (germinatio), when the seed 
swells, and its little tender leaves begin to unfold. 
2. Vernation, ( frondescentia, vernatio), when the 
swollen buds of trees and shrubs unfold Bo 
leaves. 
3. Sleep, (somnus), when in the evening, or dur- 
ing night, the leaves of various plants hang down 
or collapse. | 
4, Defoliation, (de foliatio), when in autumn, or, 
as is the case with a few northern plants, in the 
spring, the leaves fall off. | 
5. Virginity, (virginitas), that precise time when 
the flower-buds cf plants are not yet unfolded. 
6, Expansion, (anthesis), is the time when the 
flowers of plants are perfectly expanded. ‘Thus 
in descriptions we say the flowers. hang down before 
expansion (flores ante anthesin nutantes); or after 
expansion they stand erect, wi flores post anthesir 
‘erecti). 
7. Estivation, (acstivatio), so the month or season 
is called when the flower is in its greatest perfection. 
8. Fructification, (fructificatio), is the precife pe- 
riod in plants when the autherz: communicate their 
. dust to the neighbouring parts. 
9. Caprification, (caprificatio), that species of im- 
pregnation which is performed without the imme- 
diate influence of the plants themselyes, 
10, Watch: 
