392 ON SEEDLINGS 



above it. Thick- walled fruits last a long time in good condition 

 after the germination of the embryo. Desmodium canadense 

 has ovate-oblong, subfalcate cotyledons, and behaves exactly 

 in the same way as Hedysarum during germination, but 

 more frequently carries the fruit and seed above ground before 

 it divests itself of them. Broadly-oblong subfalcate cotyledons 

 with the sinus on one side occur in ^Eschynomene aspera 

 (fig. 282), Lourea Vespertilionis (fig. 283), Lespedeza striata, 

 and L. angustifolia. The leaves of 2Eschynomene aspera 

 are abruptly pinnate from the first with numerous oblong 

 leaflets. The first five at least of Lourea are transversely oval 

 or oblong, gradually increasing in size. Those of the adult 

 are simple or trifoliolate, with the lateral leaflets very small 

 and as a rule falling very early. The cotyledons of Lespedeza 

 are turned to one side and densely pubescent. The two 

 primary leaves of L. striata and L. juncea are simple and 

 opposite, followed by alternate and trifoliolate ones. In the 

 other two species the first leaf only is simple. Several 

 remarkable exceptions to any of the prevalent types of the 

 Order occur in this tribe. The cotyledons of Lespedeza juncea 

 are subterranean, or if they rise above ground they perish 

 early. Those of Coronilla juncea and Ornithopus repandus 

 are obovate-spathulate, tapering to the base and shortly 

 connate there, reminding us of what occurs in Pocockia 

 cretica amongst the Trifolieae and in Swainsonia oncinotropis 

 amongst the Galegese, but here more pronounced, and evi- 

 dently due to the same cause. The first leaf of the Coronilla 

 is obovate and simple, while that of the Ornithopus men- 

 tioned is oval-oblong. The second leaf in both cases is tri- 

 foliolate, but the lateral leaflets of Ornithopus are minute 

 and suborbicular and quite distinct from the subulate stipules, 

 which are connate by their posterior edges and sheathe the 

 stems. The cotyledons of Adesmia muricata are cordate- 

 oblong and succulent. The first leaf is five-foliolate, while 

 succeeding ones are abruptly pinnate with a varying number 

 of leaflets. 



The cotyledons of Hippocrepis ciliata are narrowly linear, 

 fleshy, tapering downwards, and from 1-8 to 3 cm. long. 

 Their shape seems to be due to that of the seed and to sub- 



