34 
THE FIRST BOOK OF BOTANY. 
Clasping. —Where the base folds around the stem 
of the plant, Fig. 27. 
Connate 7 .— Where the bases of two leaves grow 
together around the plant-stem, as in Fig. 28. 
Decur'rent. —Where the lower part of the mid¬ 
rib grows to the plant-stem, as in Fig. 29. 
Fig. 29. Fig. 30. 
The apex of a leaf is said to be acute' when it 
ends in a point; but if the point is very sharp and 
tapering, it is acu'minate. The cordate leaf-form 
shown in Fig. 24 has an apex that may be called 
acute . The lanceolate leaf-form has an acuminate 
apex. 
When very blunt, the apex is called obtuse. When 
there is no proper apex, and the end of the blade 
looks as if it had been cut off, it is said to be trun'- 
cate. 
It is emar'ginate when it has a small, sharp, in¬ 
ward notch at the apex, and retuse' when it is rounded 
inward. But when the apex is rounded inward so as 
to look like a cordate base , it is an obcor'date apex. 
(See Fig. 30.) 
When the blade ends suddenly with a short, slen- 
