TRIBES 573 



When the endosperm is exhausted it draws itself quite out of 

 the withering seed, the bend becomes straightened, and the 

 whole cotyledon then appears above the soil as the first green 

 foliage-leaf. From its sheathing base appears the second. 

 This method occurs in Sisyrinchium. Velenovsky l describes 

 the same in seedlings of Iris sp. 



Gladiolus communis, L. 



Primary root tapering downwards, branching slightly. 



Hypocotyl undeveloped. 



Cotyledon subterranean, of three parts, an absorbent organ re- 

 maining in the seed, connected by a long thread-like part with the 

 top of the sheath, the lower end of which is continuous with the 

 base of the root. The latter portion forms a long sheathing tube, 

 cleft on the ventral side, with a rounded, somewhat truncated apex 

 to the back of which the connective is attached. 



The first foliage leaf emerges from the sheath. It is broad and 

 compressed, and its long, narrowly cleft sheath includes the follow- 

 ing leaf. During the first vegetative period the internode between 

 the insertion of the first foliage-leaf and that of the sheathing-leaf 

 which follows it and encloses next year's leaf-structure, swells to a 

 tuber. This is at first covered by the thin sheath of the cotyledon 

 (the connective has long since died away), but this soon perishes, 

 and the tuber is protected by a dry envelope formed from the sheath 

 of the succeeding foliage-leaf. The terminal bud by which the 

 plant will resume growth next season occupies the apex of the 

 tuber. The primary root perishes towards the close of the first 

 period, a few fleshy adventitious roots break out, close to it, from the 

 short axis beneath the tuber, but as these are often wanting they 

 do not appear to be essential for the nourishment of the plant. Up 

 to time of flowering the plants, which, save for increase in size and 

 number of the leaf-structures, do not alter essentially in the next 

 year, continue to grow by means of the terminal bud, while axillary 

 buds also appear. 



The leaves of the adult plant are long, ensiform, sheathing at 

 the base, lanceolate, acute, and entire with several prominent nerves. 



1 Flora, 1887, p. 454. 



