82 ANATOMY AND MORPHOLOGY 



Nehemiah Grew 



Of the Root 



Reprinted from The anatomy of plants begun 

 with a general account of vegetation grounded 

 thereupon, 2nd ed. London, W. Rawlins, 

 1682. 



Having examin'd and purfu'd the likewise is from the seed; of the paren- 



degrees of vegetation in the seed, we chyma, which is there common both to 



find its two lobes have here their ut- the lobes and radicle, being by vegeta- 



most period: and that having con- tion augmented and prolonged into the 



veyed their seminalities into the radicle root, the same becomes the paren- 



and plume; these therefore, as the root ehyma of the barque, 



and trunk of the plant, still survive. Of The contexture of this parench\ma 



these, in their order, we next proceed may be well illustrated by that of a 



to speak, and first, of the root: whereof, sponge, being a body porous, dilative 



as well as of the seed, we must by dis- and pliable. Its pores, as thev are in- 



section inform ourselves. numerable, so, extreme small. Tliese 



In dissection of a root then, we pores are not only susceptive of so 



shall find it with the radicle, as the much moisture as to fill, but also to 



parts of an old man with those of a enlarge themselves, and so to dilate 



foetus, substantially, one. The first part the cortical body wherein they are: 



occurring is its skin, the original which by the shriv'ling in thereof, upon 



whereof is from the seed: for that ex- its being exposed to the air, is also seen, 



treme thin cuticle which is spread over In which dilatation, manv of its parts 



the lobes of the seed, and from thence becoming more lax and distant, and 



over the radicle, upon the shooting of none of them suffering a solution of 



the radicle into a root, is co-extended, their continuity; 'tis a body also suffi- 



and becomes its skin. , cicntly pliable; that is to sav, a most 



The next part is the cortical bodv, exquisitely fine-wrought sponge, 



which, when it is thin, is commonjv The extension of these pores is 



called the barque. Tlie original hereof, much alike bv the length and breadth 



