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THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
diverge from them, primary veins ; arid the lesser veins, which 
occur near the margin, and also connect the primary veins, are 
proposed to be called curved veins, external veins, costal veins, 
marginal veinlets, and proper or common veinlets, according to 
their position and office. By this scheme leaves are divided 
into ten classes : viz. Veinless , or such as have no veins ; example, 
Ferns. Straight-veined , in which the veins are entirely primary, 
arising from near the base of the midrib, with which they lie 
nearly parallel, and are connected by proper veinlets; ex. 
Grasses, Palms, Orchidece. Curve-veined, a modification of the 
last, in which the primary veins are parallel, and diverge from 
the midrib throughout its whole length, losing themselves in the 
margin, but not passing from near the base to the apex ; ex. 
Scitaminece. Netted, which is the common form of reticulation 
in the leaves of dicotyledonous plants; ex. Pose. Ribbed, 
where three or more midribs proceed from the base to the apex, 
and are connected by branching primary veins; ex. Melastomce. 
Falsely-ribbed, when the curved and external veins in a reticu¬ 
lated leaf become confluent with the margin, as in Mystacece. 
Radiating, when several ribs radiate from near the base of a 
reticulated leaf to its circumference, as in palmate leaves. Fea¬ 
ther-veined, where the primary vein of a reticulated leaf passes 
in a right line from the midrib to the margin; ex. Castaneci. 
Hidden-veined, which includes such as have the appearance of 
venation obliterated by an excess of parenchyma ; ex. Hoya * 
With regard to their figure and outline, leaves vary greatly ; 
and a corresponding multiplicity of terms have sprung into use 
in order to express these variations: these, however, are too 
numerous to be further noticed here, especially as the form, 
being in many cases variable, is regarded to be a point of 
secondary importance in all investigations of the nature of 
plants. In like manner, there are numerous diversities of sur¬ 
face, and of margin, with expressive terms by which they may 
be readily known. 
The stalk or petiole connects the blade with the stem; it 
consists of the same kind of substance as the leaves, and is 
generally of a half cylindrical figure, though sometimes it occurs 
as a thin leafy expansion surrounding the stem; sometimes it 
* Specimens in illustration of this view of venation were provided for the 
use of the members present. 
