MaUtiiackatcd Condition of the Vajetabk Cell. 43 



The following plaiita were examined : — rolyyoiiitni >Sie- 

 holdii, Acanthus mollis, Podophylluni jjMatum, Eschscholtzia 

 calif arnica, Impatiens Noli-metangere, Dictamnvs fraxindla 

 — all Dicotyledons; Lilium pyre nai cum, Polyyonatum mulii- 

 florum — both Monocotyledons. 



Particular attention was given to Polygonum Sieholdii 

 and Acanthus mollis. 



Polygonum Sieholdii (Plate V. figs. 1-4). 



This is a quick-growing herbaceous plant, flowering in 

 the summer time. Its stem is hollow except at the nodes, 

 and has a jointed appearance, the nodes and inter-nodes 

 being distinctly marked. A transverse section of the stem 

 shows it to be something like the burr (^Arctium Lappa) in 

 structure. Longitudinal sections were cut both radially 

 and tangentially. The latter yielded the best results in this 

 case. Different specimens showed that both the bast cells 

 and the wood cells may be multinucleated, as well as the 

 parenchymatous ground tissue. This condition is best seen, 

 however, in the w^ood cells and ground tissue, especially in 

 that part of the latter forming the medullary rays. In one 

 specimen almost every cell has several nuclei. In the cells 

 of the wood the nuclei, as a rule, were pointed either at 

 one end or at both, and had frequently a fusiform or falci- 

 form appearance. Often they were of great length, and 

 " drawn out," as it were, to extreme tenuity. Sometimes 

 they were roundish or altogether irregular in shape (Plate 

 V. fig. 4). Where there were only two or three in the 

 cell they might be close together, or even adpressed, but 

 frequently they were scattered about in an irregular manner. 

 Some of the fibres were almost filled with nuclei. The 

 nuclear membrane, giving rise to a double contour^ was 

 usually more or less distinct. The nucleoplasm was dense 

 and finely granular. The nucleoli were usually placed 

 towards the middle of the nuclei, and varied in number, 

 there being, as a rule, one, two, or three present. Every 

 nucleus contained at least one nucleolus. The endo- 

 nucleolus could almost always be distinctly made out, and 

 I believe was always present, though, on account of its 

 small size, it might easily be obscured. 



In the rolls of tho paroncbymn. including tjie mcdul- 



