GEKANIACE.E 301 



The ovule and seed correspond to those of E. Manescavi. 

 The cotyledons of E. moschatum are convolute, plicate, and 

 pinnatindly lobed. 1 The ovules of Pelargonium australe are 

 gemmate in each cell, suspended from the inner angle and 

 anatropous, with the micropyle considerably above the middle 

 on the ventral face. The seed is broader at the end farthest 

 from the hilum as in the case of Erodium, a circumstance 

 due to the radicle being thickest at that point and to the fact 

 that the cotyledons taper to the apex like those of Erodium. 

 The cotyledons are convolute longitudinally with one folded 

 over the other. Both are shaped like the letter L at the 

 apex, but only the outer one towards the base, the inner being 

 hooked or crumpled inside the angle of the outer. They taper 

 to the apex, which is minutely emarginate beneath the thick- 

 ened portion of the chalaza ; the margin is crenate, and they 

 are shortly petiolate for the same reason as Pelargonium 

 and Erodium. The radicle is incumbent on the cotyledons 

 on the ventral aspect, where the testa is bulged out to accom- 

 modate it, the inflated portion tapering to a point above the 

 middle. 



Cotyledons. -About half a dozen distinct types of cotyledons 

 may be noted, and modifications are frequent in that repre- 

 sented by Erodium and Pelargonium. The simplest are those 

 occurring in exalbuminous seeds, and especially where the 

 embryo is straight and has its cotyledons simply thickened so 

 as to fill the seed. The least complex of the types observed 

 is represented by Oxalis corniculata (fig. 232). The cotyle- 

 dons are small, oblong-ovate, very obtuse, shortly petiolate, 

 glabrous, and have a very indistinct venation. Those of 0. 

 sensitiva are sessile, and slightly pubescent at the margin, but 

 otherwise similar to the above. Some species have broadly 

 oblong, slightly emarginate, trinerved, petiolate cotyledons, 

 dependent probably on the robustness of their growth and the 

 enlargement of all parts. 



The seeds of Impatiens all seem to be modelled upon the 



same plan ; they are pendulous and anatropous, with the 



radicle superior and the cotyledons always occupying the 



lower broader end of the seed. Hence the cotyledons vary 



1 Gaertner, DC Fructibus ct Seminibus, i. 383, and t. 79, iig. 5. 



