218 ON SEEDLINGS 



Seedlings. At least three or four different types of cotyle- 

 dons may be observed amongst seedlings of this Order, and 

 speaking generally they may be described as large and folia- 

 ceous, a fact to be accounted for by the large and flattened 

 seeds and the great size of the embryo. The cotyledons 

 of Thevetia neriifolia are suborbicular and compressed while 

 yet in the seed, but they had dropped before the seedling 

 was observed. The first ten leaves are linear-lanceolate 

 and acuminate, longer and no doubt narrower than the 

 cotyledons. A type with oblong, penninerved and reticu- 

 late cotyledons is met with in Echites umbellata (fig. 515). 

 The first two pairs of leaves are ovate, larger than the coty- 

 ledons, but have a very similar venation. The cotyledons 

 of Wrightia tinctoria are also oblong with a penninerved 

 venation similar to that of the leaves, but they are unequal, 

 a fact probably to be accounted for by their being convolute 

 in the seed. The first five pairs of leaves are lanceolate, 

 obtuse, larger and broader than the cotyledons. Parameria 

 glandulifera represents a type with ovate cotyledons. The 

 first three or four pairs of leaves are lanceolate-elliptic, 

 acuminate. The first two or three pairs of Mandevilla 

 suaveolens are lanceolate and narrower than the broadly 

 ovate cotyledons which have a similar incurved venation. 

 The ultimate leaves are oblong-cordate and finely acumi- 

 nate. 



The fourth type to be noted is represented by Plumeria 

 alba (fig. 514) which has oblong-cordate, trinerved cotyle- 

 dons, the basal auricles of which are frequently unequal. They 

 attain this shape while yet in the seed. The first pair of 

 leaves are oblong-lanceolate and opposite, followed by four 

 others which are similar but larger, and alternate. The coty- 

 ledons of Taberneemontana amygdalifolia differ from those 

 of the last in being broadly triangular and subcordate at the 

 base, with a venation similar to that of the leaves. The first 

 two pairs of the latter are opposite, and broadly lanceolate or 

 ovate. 



Acokanthera Thunbergii, Benth. et Hook. 

 Ovary syncarpous, superior, two-celled, each cell one-ovuled ; 

 ovule ventrally attached, amphitropous ; micro pyle superior. 



