FRUCTIFICATION, OR FLOWER AND FRUIT. 25 



2. Cotyledones, Cotyledons or Seed-lobes, closely- 

 attached to the Embryo, commonly two, rarely 

 more, in some tribes altogether wanting. They 

 either ascend out of the ground, and perform 

 for a while the office of Leaves (31), or remain 

 buried, till they gradually decay. 



.3. Albumen, the White, a farinaceous, fleshy, 

 horny, or almost stony, substance, destined to 

 nourish the Embryo during the first stage of ve- 

 getation, till the Root can perform its office (7). 

 The Albumen forms a separate body in Grasses, 

 Palms, the Liliaceous tribe, and other mono- 

 cotyledonous Plants, properly so called, though 

 this substance itself, which makes up the chief 

 bulk of such Seeds, is erroneously taken for 

 their Cotyledon. Becoming fluid, it is soon 

 absorbed by the sprouting Embryo of these 

 plants. In many dicotyledonous Plants the 

 Albumen is likewise distinct from the Cotyle- 

 dons, as the Nutmeg, where it is large and curi- 

 ously eroded or sinuated ; Mirabilis, Polygonum, 

 and Rume.v, where it is mealy and shapeless, 

 inclosing the Embryo and Cotyledons; and 

 some few Leguminous Plants (61 : 3), though in 

 most of this last tribe it does not constitute a 

 separate part, any more than in the Gourd 

 family, the Walnut, and many others. In such, 

 the albuminous matter is lodged in the sub- 

 stance of their Cotyledons : for it must be pre- 

 sent in some mode or other, to supply the first 



