. Class-book of botany : being outlines of the structure, physiology, and classification of plants ; with a flora of the United States and Canada . Botany; Botany; Botany. 46 THE LEAF. CHAPTER VII, THE LEAF. 21'7. Its importance. The leaf constitutes the verdure of plants, and is by far the most conspicuous and beautiful object in the scenery of nature. It is also of the highest importance in the vegetable oray, being the organ of digeation and respiration. 218. The leaf is ciiaractekized by a thin and expanded form, presenting the largest possible surface to the action of the air and l
. Class-book of botany : being outlines of the structure, physiology, and classification of plants ; with a flora of the United States and Canada . Botany; Botany; Botany. 46 THE LEAF. CHAPTER VII, THE LEAF. 21'7. Its importance. The leaf constitutes the verdure of plants, and is by far the most conspicuous and beautiful object in the scenery of nature. It is also of the highest importance in the vegetable oray, being the organ of digeation and respiration. 218. The leaf is ciiaractekized by a thin and expanded form, presenting the largest possible surface to the action of the air and light, which agents are indispensable to the life and increase of the plant. 219. The color of the leaf is almost universally green, which of all colors is the most agreeable to the eye; but its intensity varies by infinite shadce, and is often finely contrasted with the more delicate tints of the flower. Towards maturity its verdure is changed, often to the most brilliant hues, as red, crimson, orange, yel- low, giving our autumnal forest scenery a gaietj-, variety, and splendor of coloring which the wildest fancy could scarcely surpass. PHYLLOTAXY, OR LEAF-AREANGEMENT. 220. As the position of the leaf upon the stem marks the position of the axillary bud, it follows that the order of the leaf-arrangement will be the order of the branches also. The careful investigation of this subject has developed a science of nnexpected exactness and beauty, called phyllotaxy (ii>, a lea^ ru^ir, order.). 85, Ladies'-slipper (leaves altennite) ; 86. Synandra grandiflora (leaves oppobito); 83, Virginica (leaves vcrticillate); 87, Larix Americana (leaves fasciculate).. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Wood, Alphonso, 1810-1881. New York : A. S. Barnes & Burr
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookpublisher, booksubjectbotany
