148 



symptoms of decay, and the integuments of the seed are 

 still retained unaltered by the lower portion of the emhryo. 

 At this stage, the plantule appears to be destitute of gibbosity 

 on its lower surface, but the secondary frond is slightly con- 

 vex below, and the tertiary ones still more so. 



The scutellum, it must be observed, has always a greater 

 diameter than the orifice of the lower portion of the inner 

 coat of the seed. This puzzled me at first; and it was only 

 after a very careful dissection that I ascertained the fact of 

 the inner coat being formed of three distinct skins, and that 

 the scutellum is formed of different proportions of each ; the 

 inner one * being the largest {fig. 14, a,) and the middle one 

 the smallest of the three, {fig. 14, 6.) They are all of a 

 circular figure, and the fissure in each of the skins is differ- 

 ently situated. In one instance I found the scutellum, after 

 the expansion of the embryo, not wholly detached from the 

 lower portion of the inner coat of the seed, and entirely 

 separated from the lip of the cotyledon, except perhaps the 

 inner reticulated portion, which, I have reason to think, was 

 carried up with the cotyledon. 



References to the Plate, Tab. XLII. 



Fig. ], The embryo just bursting through the outer coat of 

 the seed. 



Fig. 2, The same more advanced ; a, the scutellum ; b, the 

 lower lip of the cotyledon ; c, the upper lip of do. 



Fig. 3, The same a little more advanced; the lips of the 

 cotyledon being open, the scutellum adhering to the ex- 

 tremity of the lower lip, and exhibiting the plantule with 

 its spur or radicle (a,) within. 



Fig. 4, The same after the removal of the coats of the seed. 



Fig. 5, The inner coat of the seed, with the scutellum or 

 upper portion, («,) which always separates from the lower 

 part at a circular fissure. 



* The inner skin proves to be albumen. This part is much more obvious in 

 tlie seed of L, minor. — Jr. 



