44 
REPORT ON BOTANY, MDCCCXLI : 
usually called leayes, as branches, and the leaf-like parts 
under them as genuine leaves. The term fronds, which 
Miquel gives to these leaves, in a recent treatise respecting 
the Cycadem, is very suitable, because it represents a sort of 
intermediate state between leaf and branch, like the fronds 
of ferns. Miquel, indeed, seems to have derived the expres- 
sion from the latter. The leaf-like parts might be termed 
squamae foliares. Such, for instance, occur in the Aspara- 
gus, where the so called leaves ought to be considered as 
barren flower-stalks. There are also squamae foliares beneath 
the so called leaves of Ruscus, Phyllanthus, &c. 
Some remarks by George Gardner, on the Structure of 
the Stems of Palms, may be found in the Annals of Natural 
History, vol. vi. p. 57. The author refers to a sentence in 
Lindley’s Introduction to Botany, where Bindley states : — 
“ The investigations of Mohl appear to show, that this view 
of the structure of endogens requires some modification. 
According to this observer, every one of the woody bundles 
of a palm -stem originates in the leaves, and is at first 
directed towards the centre ; arrived there, it follows the 
course of the stem for some distance, and then turns outwards 
again, finally losing itself in the cortical integument. In the 
course of their downward descent, the woody bundles gradually 
separate into threads, till at last the vascular system, which 
for a long time formed an essential part of each of them, dis- 
appears, and there is nothing left but woody tissue. In this 
view of the growth of endogens, the trunk of such plants must 
consist of a series of arcs, directed from above inwards, and 
then from within outwards ; and consequently the woody fibres 
of such plants, instead of being parallel with each other, 
must be interlaced in infinite intermixture.” Bindley, farther 
on, enumerates some difiiculties with which the formation 
and the direction of the woody bundles, in reality, accord- 
ing to Mohl’s statement, would be attended. Gardner, when 
travelling in the Brazils, caused a palm tree, which is called 
Coqueiro by the Brazilians, to be split, and in the trunk he 
found very large woody bundles, which were readily traced. 
As soon as they come from the leaves into the trunk, they 
436 
