TAPAVERACE^E 



125 



Meconopsis cambrica, Vig. (fig. 148). 



Fruit an oblong capsule, tipped with the short, stout, persistent 

 style, one-celled, many- seeded, dehiscing by pores or short valves. 



Seed obovoid-reniform, slightly curved, closely reticulated or 

 alveolate, glabrous, dark brown or nearly black ; hilum and micro- 

 pyle contiguous, basal ; raphe ventral ; chalaza ventral, a little 

 below the apex of the seed and forming a small thickening or crest 

 externally. 



Endosperm copious, granular-oily, white. 



Embryo small, straight, situated close to the base of the seed, 

 colourless ; cotyledons rotund or rotund-ovate, obtuse, entire, plano- 

 convex, ringent, very short, usually two but sometimes three ; 



FIG. 148. Meconopsis cambrica. 



1, Seed, x 30 : Ch, chalaza ; Ba, raphe ; H, hilum. 



2, Longitudinal section of seed, x 30 : E, embryo ; P, endosperm ; Ch, chalaza. 



3, Transverse section of seed, x 30 : B, raphe ; P, endosperm ; C, cotyledon. 



4, Dorsal aspect of embryo, x 30. 



radicle short, stout, subturbinate, obtuse, about twice as long as 

 the cotyledons and as broad, lying within the endosperm close to 

 the base of the seed. 



(fig. 149). 



Primary root tapering, colourless, with lateral rootlets. 



Hypocotyl fleshy, colourless, 1-4 mm. long. 



Cotyledons linear, obtuse, sessile, or frequently narrowed at 

 the base and lengthening into a petiole 5 mm. to 1 cm. long, 1 to 

 1'5 mm. broad. 



Leaves simple, radical and cauline, alternate, exsiipulate, petio- 

 late, glabrous, with milky juice ; petiole subterete, channelled above, 

 pale green, succulent. 



No. 1. Entire, with an ovate, oval, or elliptic lamina. 



