ILLECEBRACE^E 411 



long. The seed and fruit are ovoid and conform to the 

 interior of the urceolate hardened perianth-tube which is 

 surmounted by the four- to five-lobed lamina. 



Seedlings. As the seeds are small the seedlings arising 

 from them are also small and the cotyledons of simple types. 

 Two distinct forms have come under my notice, namely linear- 

 oblong and broadly ovate cotyledons. Those 

 of Illecebrum verticillatum (fig. 603) are 

 linear-oblong and tapered to the base where 

 they are slightly connate. The leaves are 

 opposite and the first three pairs linear- 

 spathulate and tapered to the base like the 

 cotyledons, which they resemble, except 

 that they are wider at the apical end. The 

 cotyledons of Herniaria hirsuta (fig. 606) 

 are twice or three times as long, more 

 decidedly petiolate, and show an obscure 

 midrib, but otherwise conform to the above 

 type. The persistent perianth-tube is hairy 

 externally, and serves by that means to 

 retain itself in the ground, thus holding 

 down the fruit and testa of the seed while 

 the embryo is able to get clear. In a few 

 cases, however, if these investments have 

 not been fairly well covered with soil, they 

 are carried up on the cotyledons during verticillatum, 

 germination. The cotyledons are sessile at first and gradually 

 develop short petioles by subsequent growth. When the fruit 

 and seed are carried up, the cotyledons make their exit at first 

 by the mere act of lengthening, then one gets perfectly clear 

 by spreading out to the light, while the other carries the 

 empty husks for some time. A somewhat similar process 

 takes place in Scleranthus annuus where the cotyledons are 

 similar in shape to those of Illecebrum verticillatum, but are 

 more strictly linear and one-nerved. In Paronychia dichotoma 

 (fig. 604) the cotyledons are broadly ovate. They are distinctly 

 petiolate, without discernible venation and measure 2*5 mm. 

 in length, and 2 mm. in width. The leaves are opposite, 

 glabrous, and the two first pairs are oval or elliptic and 



