Development of Cassytha filiformis, L. 405 
cells, with scattered intercellular spaces. Each cotyledon 
is directly inserted into the radicle, which is entirely com- 
posed at this time of undifferentiated tissue. At the point 
of insertion some of the cells are a little elongated, and 
spread in four or five bundle-like traces from the radicle into 
the cotyledons, as is shown in Fig. 3. The two cotyledons 
are not, however, exactly opposite in insertion, hence the 
appearance of distinctness shown in the figure. 
Both the cotyledons and the radicle are richly laden with 
ellipsoidal starch grains, protein material and less abundant 
globules of yellow oil. 
Throughout the entire plant the starch is remarkably 
abundant and difficultly soluble. Continued boiling of thin 
sections with taka-diastase is the only means by which it 
can be satisfactorily removed. This is in all probability due 
to the superabundance even in the cotyledons of a thick 
mucilaginous material which cannot be localized in special 
cells, but which seems to be everywhere present. It swells 
and becomes very troublesome in weak alcohol, but is not 
dissolved by it, nor by soaking and boiling in water or KOH. 
Alcoholic material after a few months becomes somewhat 
granular, as if from coagulation of the mucilage, but when 
manipulated in weaker alcohol it swells and is as evident as 
before. It is not so stringy in fresh specimens as in alcoholic 
material. 
There is no albumen; some starch is present in the middle 
layer of the receptacular tube, but this is a natural accom- 
paniment of the chlorophyll present here, and cannot reach 
the embryo, owing to its isolation. 
2. Seed Germination—Hitherto the germination and 
seedling growth of this plant have not been studied. The 
germination of seeds was most successful in the two stove- 
houses of the Botanic Garden, at a temperature ranging from 
88° to 90° F. The humidity was rather high, but it was 
found advisable to keep the soil fairly dry, as a constantly 
damp soil caused the formation of a white fungoid bloom 
