542 ON SEEDLINGS 



Leaves simple, cauline, alternate, exstipulate, shortly petiolate, 

 serrate, alternately incurvinerved, glabrous, bronze-coloured in a 

 young state, ultimately bright green and shining, distichous and 

 arranged on the half plan. 



No. 1. Very small, lanceolate, obtuse, 7-9 mm. long including 

 the petiole. 



No. 2. Lanceolate, three times as large as No. 1. 



Nos. 3-8. Lanceolate, acuminate, obtuse, and gradually larger, 



Bertholletia excelsa, H. B. K (fig. 350). 



Eadicle emerging towards the opposite end of the seed to that 

 whence the plumule emerges. 



Hypocotyl, as in Lecythis, very thick and fleshy, conforming to 

 and filling the interior of the seed, subterranean. 



Cotyledons absent. 



Stem erect, terete, glabrous, stout, colourless beneath the soil and 

 deep brown above it, ultimately woody ; first eight to ten internodes 

 very short and covered by scale-like leaves, mostly beneath the 

 soil ; 11-1 5th gradually elongating from 6-14 mm. long. 



Leaves simple, cauline, alternate, or the lower ones appearing 

 opposite owing to the suppression or shortening of the internodes, 

 exstipulate, petiolate, or the lower sessile and clasping the stem and 

 scale-like, alternately incurvinerved and reticulate, glabrous, shining 

 on both surfaces, at least when young, and in that condition more 

 or less stained with brownish-red ; petioles wanting in a great 

 number of the primary leaves, or short and sheath-like. 



Nos. 1-8 (in specimen examined). Small, colourless, subterranean, 

 scale-like. 



Nos. 9-18. Green, oblong, acute, aerial, carinate owing to the 

 stout midrib, entire, ascending or spreading. 



No. 14. Lanceolate-oblong, subacuminate, entire or slightly 

 serrulate, much larger than the previous ones. 



Nos. 15 and 16. Oblong-obovate, acuminate, serrulate, narrowed 

 at the base into a short sheath-like petiole, clasping the stem on one 

 side. 



