160 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lv, 



given two embryos alike of any species, and the two glands 

 are identical. 



In Crv,cianella angustifolia, L. ; C. laxiuscula, Jord. ; G. 

 macrostachya, Boiss. ; C. pat^da, L. ; C. stylosa, Trin. ; there is 

 a deviation from the fixed number of two isolated glands in 

 the ungerminated embryos. In their case there are two 

 contiguous glands in each embryo, and in at least three of 

 the five there is a third isolated gland. The contiguous 

 glands may or may not be equal in size. It may be asked, 

 does the presence of this additional gland indicate greater 

 vitality ? 



I have failed to notice embryonic cotyledonary glands in 

 Asperula tinctoria, L. ; JRuhia ijcregrina, L. ; R. tinctorum, 

 L. ; Galium ruhioidcs, L. ; Coffca arahica, L. ; but this does 

 not prove their absence. In all the five except R. 'pcrcgrina 

 I have seen glands in the axils of the cotyledons after 

 germination. I may here add, that if the cotyledons are 

 sessile, the glands are more readily detected than when they 

 are stalked, as is the case in a marked degree in R.peregrina 

 and R. tinctorum. 



The presence of glands in the ungerminated embryos 

 in thirty-one out of the thirty-six species examined, and 

 probably in the five exceptions as well, seems to point to 

 the universality and heredity of the feature. The effect of 

 hybridization on these glands it would be interesting to 

 know ; also the range of plant-life over which the feature 

 extends, as well as the function of the glands. 



The adult cotyledonary glands take on a red-brown colour 

 after mounting in glycerine jelly, in Asperula arvensis, L., 

 Crucianella patula, L., C. stylusa, Trin., Sherardia arvensis, 

 L., pointing to perhaps the presence of some common chemical 

 element. In the other species mentioned most of the glands 

 have a clear crystalline appearance, but some of them are of 

 a faint brown colour. 



In the ungerminated embryo of Ixora Loureiri, H. Bn., 

 there are two processes somewhat resembling glands ; this 

 embryo has a marked resemblance to that of Coffca arahica, 

 but it is rather small(;r. 



As will be seen in the annexed table, I steeped the 

 seeds, which were all hard and horny, in water, to aid in 

 dissecting out the glands, which may or may not have 



