546 OX SEEDLIXGS 



styliform process when in a young state ; hilum and chalaza basal ; 

 micropyle apical. 



Endosperm copious, fleshy, white, embedding the embryo, except 

 at the tip of the radicle, and forming only a very thin layer round 

 the apex of the cotyledons. 



Embryo straight, nearly as long as the cavity of the seed, com- 

 paratively large, lying in the axis of the endosperm ; cotyledons 

 two, oblong-linear, obtuse, entire, fleshy or thick, plano-convex, 

 closely applied face to face in the seed, about twice as long as the 

 radicle; radicle stout, oblong, terete, very obtuse, slightly con- 

 stricted in the middle with the upper half white like the cotyledons 

 and the lower half yellow, lying in a cup-like process of loose tissue 

 close to the micropyle. 



Ephedra fragilis, Desf. 



Hypocotyl as in E. altissima, 1-2-5 mm. long. 



Cotyledons linear or acicular, fleshy, 5-7 cm. long, glabrous, 

 acute, green. 



Stem erect, terete, herbaceous, ultimately woody ; 1st internode 

 1-1-5 mm. long. 



First leaves three in a whorl, simple, entire, cauline, linear, 

 acute, glabrous. 



An undetermined species of Ephedra, from Afghanistan, has very 

 similar cotyledons. 



Seedling. 



Primary root long, tapering downwards, copiously furnished 

 with root-hairs, without lateral rootlets till it attains some size, 

 tipped in the seed by a cup-like process which forms a sheath to it 

 after germination. 



Hypocotyl erect, terete, glabrous, green, 3'5-12'5 mm. above the 

 soil, stout, and fleshy at first. 



Cotyledons long, linear, emarginate during or after germination, 

 and generally more or less discoloured at the tip, semiterete, flat 

 above or slightly grooved, rounded on the back, deep green and often 

 distinctly glaucous, glabrous, often twisted or variously bent in 

 making their escape from the seed, connate at the base and forming 

 a cupule round the plumule, not differentiated into lamina and 

 petiole, erect with spreading tips for a long time at least after com- 

 pleting germination* 3-1-5-7 cm. long, 1-5-2-25 mm. wide. 



