66 EMBRYO OF CRYPTOCORYNE. [BOOK i. 



innermost ones, which resemble rudimentary leaves, and are 

 divided into a limb, which is convolute, and a petiole, which 

 is likewise convolute, the innermost inclosing in its fold an 

 extremely minute rudimentary leaf. The outermost are the 

 narrowest, the bases, as we proceed inwards, becoming gra- 

 dually dilated. They are all deflexed and tortuous, especially 

 the outer ones. Their extreme apices are invariably brown, 

 and, as it were, sphacelated. The colour is green, increasing 

 in depth as we proceed inwards, the convolute Iamina3 of the 

 innermost being of a rather deep tint. These processes are 

 furnished with vessels, but their chief bulk is cellular, the 

 cells containing a considerable number of green globules. 

 They are, with the exception, perhaps, of the outermost, fur- 

 nished with stomata. These bodies, however, appear to be 

 perfect in the interior processes only. They are most abun- 

 dant towards the apices of these, especially on the portion 

 which corresponds to the lamina of the perfect leaf, and are 

 perhaps altogether wanting towards or near their dilated 

 bases. The cells of the cotyledon, as well as of the processes 

 of the plumula, in an early stage of their development, 

 abound in active molecules, which have, both in and out of 

 the containing cells, an exceedingly rapid oscillatory motion. 

 It is obvious, from the universal presence of these corpuscles 

 during the formation of tissue, that they play an important 

 part in this most obscure process." (Linn. Trans, xx.) 



All such exceptions ought, like those of dicotyledons, 

 rather to be called remarkable modifications. Much stress 

 has been laid upon some of them by several writers, who have 

 thought it requisite to give particular names to their parts. 

 It, however, appears more advisable to explain their analogies 

 without the unnecessary creation of new and bad names. 

 In Grasses (Plate VI. fig. 4.) the embryo consists of a lenti- 

 cular body lying on the outside of the base of the albumen 

 on one side, and covered on its inner face by that body, and 

 on its outer face by the testa : if viewed on the face next the 

 testa, a slit will be observed of the same nature as that in the 

 side of the embryo of Aracese ; within this cleft a small coni- 

 cal projection is discovered, pointing towards the apex of the 

 seed. If the embryo be then divided vertically through the 



