N THE General Anatomy of Plants, I have assigned one whole Chapter[64] to the Germen and Leaf. Since then, I have occasionally made divers Remarques of the same; both with the Naked Eye, as there, and also with the Microscope. The Principal whereof, I shall here set down; without repeating any from thence; or obliging my self strictly to the Order there used.
2. §. That which in a Germen, first occurs to the Eye, is the Protection of the Leaves, or the various Methods which Nature takes to preserve them from the Injuries both of the Ground, and of the Weather. To the Instances formerly given, I shall add these that follow.
3. §. AND First, it is observable of the young Buds of Ammi, that lest they should be bruised, or starved, upon their first Eruption from under the Ground; they are couched, as Firn is rowl’d, inward; each Bud, against the Base of the Stalk of the foregoing Leaves, and most exactly laid up within the Membranes thence produced: Just as the Child in the Womb, lies with his Head against his Knees; or as it is afterwards embraced with the Armes of the Nurse. And it is a general Rule of Nature, where the Stalks of the Leaves are so long, that they cannot lap one over another, and where no other special Protection is provided; for the bottoms of the Stalks to be produced into broad Membranes, as Blankets to the succeeding Buds; as in Crowfoot, Dovesfoot, Claver, Cransbill, Strawberry, Yarrow, and others. And sometimes instead of two Skins lapped one over another, there is one entire Skin, produced from the Stalk, in which as within a Secundine, the Bud is safely shrowded; and which, in its Growth, it gradually breaks open.
4. §. THE same is also observable in Dock, Sorrel, Bistort, and all other Plants of this Kindred; with this difference, That every Veil or Secundine is not here produced from the Stalk of the Leaf; but hath its Original Distinct from it. And whereas in the former, every Bud hath only one to it self: Tab. 41. in these Plants, every lesser Leaf, together with its own proper Veil, is always inclosed, with the next greater Leaf, in another Veil common to them both; and both these with the next, in another; and so on to the greatest. These Veils are extream thin, and have very few Vessels; being so many meer transparent Skins. For which reason, there is always found a Mucilage or clear Gelly, between every Leaf, and its Veil, and between Veil and Veil. The one, thus preserving the other, (as do the Humors and Membranes of the Eye) from drying and shrinking up, and thereby from becoming useless for the Protection of the Plant.
5. §. THE Orchis, and other Plants of this kindred, because they Spring and Flower early, when the mornings are cold, have a double Sheath, or Blanket over all. The Buds of some Herbs (as of Plantain) having no Hairs growing on them, are covered with Hairy Thrums. And the Nettle hath Bastard-Leaves, or Interfoyls between Leaf and Leaf, for the preservation of its Stings.
6. §. ANOTHER Sort of Protection is seen in Wild Clary, White Archangel, and other Plants of a like Shape. In which, the greater Leaves do still cover and inclose the lesser, not by being lapped over them, Tab. 41. as where the Leaves are more numerous, is usual; but by a Double Fore-Curl at the bottom of every two greater Leaves; by which the little Under-Bud is embraced, and so kept safe and warm.
7. §. THE Leaves of Onions are all Pipes one within another. These Pipes are every where entire, saving about the middle, where they have a small Aperture; Tab. 42. common to all of them, even the most minute in the Centre: not being a forced Crack, but a Door originally formed, for the issuing of every lesser Pipe, out of a greater.
8. §. THE LAST I shall give, is that which is remarkable in Common Sumach. The Buds whereof, being exceeding tender, Tab. 41. Nature appears sollicitous in a peculiar manner, for their preservation. For whereas in other Plants, they are well enough secured only by standing behind the Stalks of the elder Leaves: here they are lodged within the very Body of the Stalk; as entirely, as a Kernel is within an Apple, or a Fœtus in the Womb. From whence it comes to pass that the Basis of every Stalk is extreamly swelled, as going Great with a Bud.
9. §. UPON THE removal of those Parts, which are contrived for the Protection; the Foulds and Composture of the Leaves do next appear: all which are most aptly suited both to the Number and Shape of the Leaves, and also their Position upon the Branch. In the First Book[65] I have given Examples of these Eight Sorts, sc. the Plain Lap, the Plicature, the Duplicature, the Multiplicature, the Single Roll, the Double Back-Roll, the Double Fore-Role, Tab. 42. and the Treble-Roll. To which I shall add Four or Five more.
10. §. And First, in some Plants, as Ground-Ivy, St. Johns Wort, and divers others, where the Leaves are small, pretty numerous, and grow by pairs, they have no Fould, but stand Flat and Tangent, like a pair of Battledores clapt together.
11. §. They have the like Posture in Baum; saving, that here the Edges of the Leaves are a little curled backward. Not Rolled, a Curl being but the beginning of a Roll. So the several Labels of a Grounsel-Leaf are all laid in a Back-Curl.
12. §. The Leaves of some Plants, as Horehound, White Lamium, Nettle, and others, are likewise only Tangent, but are set with a Fore-Curle. And the several Labels or Scallops of the Leaf of Common Crowfoot, are all Curled Inward. But those of Hepatica aurea, are composed into Double Fore-Rolls.
13. §. THE Leaves of Sage, Scabious, Red Lamium, Lychinis Sylvestris, and others, are neither couched one over another, as in the Bow-Lap; nor plated, as in the Flat Lap; but being loosely foulded, of every pair of Leaves, the half of one is reciprocally received between the two halfs of another, and may therefore be called the Cleep. Tab. 42. A Position very well suited to the Smalness of their Number, and the Equality of their Size, not so well agreeing with the Bow-Lap; and the somewhat inward Posture of the Fibres, not allowing the Flat Lap. Sometimes, as in Syringa, where the Leaves are broader, the Cleep is joyned with a Fore-Curle.
14. §. THE last I shall mention, is the Plaite-Roll, as in the Lapathum Alpinum, which some call English Rhubarb. The Leaves whereof are so very large, and the Fibres so prominent; that besides and under the two Back-Rolls, they are also laid in several Plaits, and under those Plaits, again with lesser ones, all most exquisitely Tucked up between the said Fibres: So, as neither to bruise the same, nor yet to leave any Vacuity: whereby every Leaf, and the whole Bud, lie close and round within their Veils.