Elementary botany . eeping, Climbing, and Floating Stems. 719. Prostrate type.—This type is illustrated by creeping orprocumbent stems, as the strawberry, certain roses, of whicha good type is one of the Japanese roses (Rosa wichuriana),which creeps very close to the ground, some of the raspberries,the curcubits like the squash, pumpkin, melons, etc. Theseoften cover extensive areas by branching and reaching out radi-ally on the ground or climbing over low objects. The cucurbitsshould perhaps be classed with the climbers, since they are capa-ble of climbing where there are objects for support,
Elementary botany . eeping, Climbing, and Floating Stems. 719. Prostrate type.—This type is illustrated by creeping orprocumbent stems, as the strawberry, certain roses, of whicha good type is one of the Japanese roses (Rosa wichuriana),which creeps very close to the ground, some of the raspberries,the curcubits like the squash, pumpkin, melons, etc. Theseoften cover extensive areas by branching and reaching out radi-ally on the ground or climbing over low objects. The cucurbitsshould perhaps be classed with the climbers, since they are capa-ble of climbing where there are objects for support, but theyare prostrate when grown in the field or where there are no ob- 37o RELATION TO ENVIRONMENT. jects high enough to climb upon. In the prostrate type, thereis economy in stem building. The plants depend on the groundfor support, and it is not necessary to build strong, woody trunksfor the display of the foliage which would be necessary in thecase of an erect plant with a foliage area as great as some of the. Fig. 424-Prostrate type of the water fern (marsilia). prostrate stems. This gain is offset, at least to a great extent,by the loss in ability to display a great amount of foliage, whichcan be done only on the upper side of the stem. Other advantages gained by the prostrate stems are protec-tion from wind, from cold in the more rigorous climates, andsome propagate themselves by taking root here and there, as incertain roses, the strawberry plant, etc. Some plants haveerect stems, and then send out runners below which take rootand aid the plant in spreading and multiplying its numbers. 720. The decumbent type.—In this type the stem is first erect,but later bends down in the form of an arch, and strikes rootwhere the tip touches the ground. Some of the raspberriesand blackberries are of this type. TYPES OF STEMS. 371 721. The climbing type.—The grapes, clematis, some roses,the ivies, trumpet creeper, the climbing bittersweet, etc., areclimbing stems. Like the pros
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