174 MR. P. GROOM—CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
these cells were dark-coloured resistant bubble-like structures of 
unknown nature. "These exposed cells contained starch (even the 
outer cortical cells) ; on the other hand, the cells in their imme- 
diate vieinity were devoid of starch. "Thus the process of decay 
had caused a flow of carbohydrates to the infected spots, so that 
the inner cortieal cells, whieh normally have starch, had been 
locally drained of their starch. Fungal hyphe were found 
amongst many of the exposed cells, and there appeared to be 
traces of mucilaginous degeneration. lam unable to say how 
far this decay was a natural process, or how far caused by 
hyphe. 
In specimen B, with young unopened flowers, the ovary has 
many hairs on the surface, the cortical mucilage-cells contain 
raphides, and starch occurs only in a single layer of parenchyma 
round the vascular bundles. Starch occurs nowhere else in the 
flower except under the papille of the stigma. 
Final Remarks on Metabolism in Galeola. 
Considering the mode of life of Galeola, which passes part of 
its existence as a subterranean plant, and remembering that the 
thick fleshy roots form by far the greater portion of the subter- 
ranean mass, it is natural to assume that in the roots not only 
does the process of absorption take place but also the processes of 
anabolism. And this assumption is confirmed by observation of 
the distribution of starch and raphide-mucilage cells through- 
out the plant; for these are the solitary substances in this plant 
by which we can gauge metabolism. Starch and raphide-muci- 
lage cells are abundant in the root, and in their distribution in 
the whole of the subterranean parts of the plants they correspond 
with each other. In the inflorescence-axis the parallel dwindling 
of both tends to show that the axis is merely a conducting and 
supporting structure. The manufacture of the large fruits is 
necessarily associated with a large production of protoplasm, 
and here again there is a reappearance of starch and mucilage 
(not raphides) in corresponding quantities. Possibly the 
raphides have been replaced by some other organice salt of 
calcium. 
One noticeable anatomical feature in Galeola is the exceed- 
ingly feeble development of intercellular spaces. The rate of 
gaseous interchange will be thus considerably diminished. And, 
