404 



ON SEEDLINGS 



petiole. This is brought about probably in part by the 

 procumbent or trailing stem interfering with the proper 

 growth of opposite and decussate leaves. 



Mirabilis longiflora, L. 



Hypocotyl short, stout, erect or decumbent, terete, glabrous or 

 glandular-hairy, 1'5-1'S cm. long. 



Cotyledons very like those of M. dichotoina, rather fleshy, 

 frequently emarginate with one or two notches, glabrous except the 

 petioles ; midrib strong and prominent on the under side ; lamina 

 of the larger cotyledon in an average of four, 2*38 cm. long, 

 3'25 cm. wide ; smaller lamina in an average of four, 1*92 cm. 

 long, 2'76 cm. wide ; petioles mostly unequal in length, the longer 

 one belonging to the smaller lamina, semiterete, channelled above, 

 densely glandular-hairy, pale green or reddish, 2'6-5'5 cm. long. 



Stem herbaceous, erect at first, ultimately decumbent, ascending 

 or variable ; 1st intemode 5-5*5 cm. long. 



Leaves simple, entire, cauline, opposite, exstipulate, petiolate, 

 irregularly and alternately penninerved and reticulate, with the 



nerves forking towards the 

 margin of the leaf, and 

 sending a curved branch 

 downwards and the other 

 upwards to meet the one 

 next above it, more or less 

 glandular - pubescent all 

 over, deep dull green above 

 with a reddish midrib, paler 

 beneath and suffused with 

 red ; petioles semiterete, 

 channelled above, densely 

 glandular-pubescent. 



First pair ovate, obtuse, 

 suddenly tapered into the 

 petiole. 



FIG. 601. Mirabilis dichotoina. 

 Half nat. size. 



Mirabilis dichotoma, 

 L. (fig. 601). 



Primary root very 



short, apparently ceasing to elongate, and like the hypocotyl giving 

 off fibrous lateral rootlets. 



Hypocotyl 1-5-2 cm. long, 4 mm. thick, succulent and ulti- 



