86 PLANT LIFE. 



and well able to absorb food that the young stem 

 makes its first appearance above ground. This type 

 of germination is also found in most Grasses and in 

 the Oak. 



The Date seedling has a very remarkable history. 

 The part to develop is the stalk of the seed leaf; this 

 grows so quickly that the stem and root, which are 

 attached to the end of it, are carried down below the 

 surface where they develop into working roots and a 

 young stem : the rest of the cotyledon remains in touch 

 with the hard food-material inside the seed which lies 

 upon the surface of the soil ; thus the cotyledon carries 

 all the stored-up food down to the buried embryo. 

 This burial of the young plant is probably a protection 

 against the scorching heat on the sand. 



In most cases the seed-leaves escape from the seed 

 coat ; and, after a time, turn green and assist in the 

 ordinary leaf-work of forming sugar. Thus, in Cress 

 seeds the part which forms and grows first is the root 

 and the small piece of stem below the cotyledons. The 

 root soon buries itself in the soil, whilst the tips of 

 the cotyledons are still held in the seed coat ; after 

 a short time they tear themselves away and the stem, 

 which was previously bent down, straightens itself, 

 and the two seed leaves open and spread out. The 

 Cucumber seedling tears off the seed coat by a special 

 notch on its stem. The Beech, most Cruciferae, the 

 Maple, and the Sycamore are in most respects similar to 

 the Cress. 



Very often the first appearance of the seedling above 

 ground is in the shape of an arch or fl. The root 

 is fixed in the ground and the tips of the seedling 

 cotyledons are also below ground, being retained by the 

 seed coat. The arch does not force its way straight up 



