Peculiar Growth Habit and the Anatomy of Dog’s Mercury . 195 
axillary inflorescences. The flower initials are thus produced 
when the available soluble carbohydrate will be high, but 
Fig. Ia. — Shoots of Mercurialis showing new vegetative growth after flowering. 
v.b. — vegetative bud. d.i. — remains of dead inflorescence. 
Fig. Ib. — Underground portion of same plant. 
c.s. — base of shoot of current season, 
l.s. — stump of shoot of last season, 
n.s. — next season’s shoot. 
when renewed growth of the apical meristem commences, after 
the expansion of the leaves and flowers already formed, the 
soluble carbohydrate will be low and conditions are thus 
favourable to further vegetative growth. Thus, the peculiar 
1933 Sept. 1 
