SECT. I. THE SEED. 257 



number of seeds in which it is present, together 

 with its constant and close union with the embryo, 

 furnishes them with arguments in support of their 

 opinion. 



But whatever may be the value of that opinion, 

 or the contrary, the organ in question, though not 

 very common, is by no means rare. It pervades 

 the whole of the useful and extensive family of 

 the Grasses, in which it is interposed between 

 the albumen and embryo in the form of a scale 

 (PL VIII. Fig. 1.), as well as of the several 

 families of the Mosses, Ferns, and Fuci, in which, How dis- 

 accord ing to Ga&rtner, it constitutes the principal froS^he 

 bulk of the seed, bearing an inseparable and ger- albumen - 

 m mating cicatricle upon its surface, and therefore 

 not an albumen. 



ARTICLE 3. The Embryo. The embryo, which is pescrip- 

 the last and most essential part of the seed and final J|n| J^ 1 " 

 object of the fructification, as being the germe of P arts * 

 the future plant, is a small and often very minute 

 organ, enclosed within the albumen and occupying 

 the centre of the seed, as in the Umbelliferte and 

 most plants, in which case it is said to be central ; 

 or enclosed within the albumen, but not occupying 

 the centre of the seed, as in Asparagus, in which 

 case it is said to be Eccentric ; or accumbent on the 

 external integuments and consequently situated 

 both without the centre of the seed and without the 

 albumen, as in the Grasses, in which case it is said 



VOL. I. S 



