Could somebody walk through this explanation of branching on the AHS dictionary with me? For the first time, I've slowed myself down and really looked at all the scapes that are left standing in my garden.

First of all Figure 3 at the bottom is clear-cut and easy. But don't be fooled! The Figure 2: Branch counting illustration seems to be a real contradiction! Branch one - check. Branch 2 - check. These look self explanatory. Branch 3 - ditto. Branch 4 - now it's starting to get confusing.

The dictionary states "a branch must exhibit a minimum of two buds", but, I don't see any clear distinction between branches and sub-branches. I count the label "sub-branch" four times in this illustration, and they all have at least two buds. The sub-branches all look like "branches" to me!

I'm gonna need to know this stuff, and it's starting to make me feel like I'm back in math class and everything IS Greek after all! Good thing I don't have anything even approaching 6 branches out there! Do you?

Came right back here to fix the title - nope can't capitalize it!

"however only stems which originate at the junction of the scape are counted as branches."
This is the difference in branches and sub branches.

Ok, after a few days of looking at the picture, thinking about it hard enough to give me headaches, I think I've got it!

Once a branch arises from the primary scape stem, that branch may form more branches, but these are called sub-branches, and cannot be counted.

Larry, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!