240 



ON SEEDLINGS 



dry, three-celled, three-seeded, dehiscing loculicidally, and also 

 separating from the septa in three pieces, giving them the appearance 

 of valves bearing the septa along their middle. 



Seeds oblong, slightly compressed on the ventral aspect, solitary 

 in each cell, erect, pale green, ultimately brown and slightly uneven ; 

 raphe ventral, somewhat shorter than the seed ; hilum small, basal 

 or slightly above the base on the ventral aspect ; radicle at the 

 extreme base, forming a slight prominence ; testa consisting of 

 somewhat pulpy adhesive matter when young, firm, brown and 

 fibrous when mature. 



Endosperm scanty, fleshy, colour- 

 less or nearly transparent. 



Embryo always straight in the axis 

 of the fleshy endosperm, comparatively 

 large and occupying the greater part 

 of the interior of the seed and nearly 

 as long, deep green, pale yellow when 

 mature; cotyledons closely applied 

 face to face, plano-convex, oblong or 

 oval, obtuse, entire ; radicle well de- 

 veloped. 



Seedling (fig. 526). 

 Primary root long, tapering, with 

 numerous lateral, flexuose fibres. 



Hypocotyl erect, tapering down- 

 wards, pubescent, white beneath the 

 soil, brown above, 6-14 mm. long. 



Cotyledons oblong, obtuse, minutely 

 emarginate, very slightly wider at the 

 base, with a distinct midrib terminat- 

 ing in a water-gland, a colourless, 

 cuneate mass of tissue sunk in the 

 apex of the cotyledon and even with its surface. The midrib has 

 many lateral, alternate, ascending nerves incurving towards their 

 tip and uniting each with the next one above it, giving the appear- 

 ance of two intramarginal nerves, and end finally like the midrib 

 just beneath the water-gland. Tertiary nerves are given off along 

 the anterior side of the secondary nerves and unite with the 

 secondary nerve immediately above them. All this forms a per- 

 fectly continuous framework throughout the cotyledon, and in 

 direct communication with the water-gland. 



Around the apex of the leaf are numerous water-pores, seen 



FIG. 526.Co1lomia coccinea. 

 Nat. size. 



