OF THE COCOANUT DURING GERMINATION 351 



softest, is the germ imbedded in the endosperm. The fertile carpel 

 may be recognized from the fact that it has the greatest degree of 

 divergence between the longitudinal fusion lines of the carpels. 

 The true integuments of the ovule are reduced to a thin brown 

 coat closely adhering to the abundant endosperm. 



The embryo is a cylindrical body about 8 mm. in length lying 

 below one of the natural openings of the endocarp and in a line 

 perpendicular to the exterior surface of the endosperm. When 

 germination begins the embryo elongates and, having pushed 

 through its thin coverings, begins to enlarge at both ends. 

 From the outer end arises the plumule and the roots ; the inner 

 end is an extension of the true cotyledon and is developed into a 

 special absorbing organ. See //. ig. 



The absorbing organ is of a soft spongy texture and all 

 through it are the ramifications of vascular strands which converge 

 to the narrow " neck, " which connects the absorbing tissue with 

 the stem. The cotyledon, and by this term, hereafter, we shall 

 mean the part of that structure specialized for absorption, can 

 attack only the part of the endosperm to which it is contiguous. 

 In the earlier stages of growth this absorption is confined to the 

 part nearest the young shoot, which we may hereafter refer to as 

 the proximal end of the nut. Finally, however, the cotyledon 

 fills the entire cavity of the nut and somewhat thins the endosperm 

 distally, also. 



The milk may persist in the nut until the cotyledon has almost 

 filled the cavity. After germination has proceeded for some time 

 the milk becomes insipid to the taste, and contains fragments of 

 cellulose and large drops of floating fat. In nuts in which germi- 

 nation has continued for a year the cotyledon has entirel}'' filled 

 the cavity, but usually there is still left a third to a half of the endo- 

 sperm undigested. This residual portion in normal cases is little 

 affected, except that it is softened superficially, and to the taste 

 suggests nothing different from the meat of the ordinary ungermi- 

 nated nur. 



In its natural development the roots of the plant soon take 

 firm hold of the soil and, long before the endosperm is com- 

 pletely absorbed, junction between the shoot and the absorbing 

 organ is broken, the husk decays and the plant enters an inde- 



