VEGETABLE' STRUCTURE. 
93 
divided among them, g g. Thefe run up the middle Rib of each Leaf, 
fending off branches all the way into the fide Fibres, till they have thus 
exhaufted their whole fubflance. 
Thus far they are like the Nerves of Animals ; that they do not dimi- 
iihh as they come toward the extremities, otherwife than by fending off 
part of the VefTels which compofe them. Thefe always go off accompa- 
nied by fome of the pellucid VefTels ; and the Clufter diminifhes only as 
they are fent away : for each particular VefTel is all the way of the fame 
diameter. 
In the Flowerftalk, tho’ they be diftindlly four and twenty at the bafe, 
that entire number is not to be counted in fedtions of the upper part, for 
they run one into another when preffed into a narrower compafs at the 
neck : from this part they continue themfelves into the Receptacle. They 
come nearer together as the diameter of the Stalk diminifhes at the top, b, 
and finally run up to the extreme top of the Receptacle itfelf, i. 
If we continue to cut tranfverfe fedlions of the Stalk upwards ’till we 
come to the Flower j and then purfue the fame courfe, cutting thro’ the 
Flower and Receptacle tranfverfely, by a multitude of very thin fedions, 
we by degrees fee the two outer Petals, then the three inner ones, fall 
off ; and when nothing remains but the Nedaria, Filaments, and Seed 
VefTels, ftill every fedion pre!ents thefe VefTels very diftindly. See Fig. 
88, 89, 90, 91, reprefenting thefe various fedions. Tho’ they were 
crowded together in the neck of the Stalk, they Vv^ere never confounded 
in their fubflance ; they feparate again in the Receptacle, and the flefliy 
part of that being white, and thefe VefTels dark, we fee the full num- 
ber of twenty four very diftindly. Even when the Filaments are all fal- 
len ofT, and the remainder of the Plant is only the colledion of Seed Vef- 
fels, thefe twenty-four Clufters, tho’ very minute, are ftill perfedly to be 
difeerned ; and in the fedion which gives the very fummit, where the 
Seed VefTels difunite and fall off, thefe VefTels are feen returning in fo 
many arches upon themfelves, and continuing their courfe down toward 
the Stalk. See Fig. 92. Their courfe upward in the Receptacle is alfo 
ftiewn at 93. 
As the difpofition of the green and white VefTels in thefe Clufters differs 
in the feveral parts, they are reprefented diftindly in this Plate : Fig. 94 
is the Clufter in the Flowerftalk ; 95 in the body of the Root ; 96 in the 
Footftalk of the Leaf; and 97 in the divifions of that Footftalk. 
CHAP. 
