CFh'MlX.niOX 253 



be fatal to its life in its ordinary condition of 

 leafage, in the seed we ha\e the germ of the future 

 plant, a rc-production of its jjarent. This germ or 

 eml)r\(» is lethargic or hibernating like main- 

 animals which exist throughout the winter in a 

 dormant condition, )'et still continue to be living 

 vital bodies waiting for some sjjecial influence t<j 

 come into |)la)-, and read}- to resume all the acti\ity 

 of a growing organism. The construction of a 

 seed is simple ; inside the coat or ^cs^a we find 

 the embrx'o with or without a special supply of 

 albumen ; if the seed is ex-albuminous, then we 

 may expect to meet with thick, fleshy seed-leaves 

 especiall)' stored with this substance. The embr)o 

 contains all the essential parts of the plant, the 

 root, stem, and leaves ; the root in the seed state 

 is called the radicle, and is that part of the embrj-o 

 which usuall)- points towards the microp\le ; this 

 radicle forms one end of the first shoot which 

 comes out of a seed, the other end terminating in 

 the stem or plumule. This first shoot is known by 

 three names — axis, tigcllitm, or h)'pocotyle. The 

 tii^cllnui in man\' plants gives rise to a special 

 structure ; thus in the c\-clamcn it forms the tuber, 



