AMARYLLIDE.E 



575 



at the base, and 3-3-6 cm. long. The first leaf emerges from 

 the sheath of the cotyledon, is sessile, lanceolate, acuminate, 

 and minutely spiny at the margin. 



Agave Wislizeni, Engelm. (fig. 680). 



Primary root stout, tapering downwards, colourless, soon giving 

 off adventitious roots close to the base of the cotyledon. 



Hypocotyl undeveloped. 



Cotyledon succulent, subulate, 

 elongated, much tapered to the apex, 

 and carrying up with it the rotund- 

 obovate, thin and much compressed 

 black testa, much dilated and sheathing 

 at the base, above which it is split to 

 allow the plumule to emerge, terete, 

 glabrous, deep green, 3'3-6 cm. long, 

 2-5-3 mm. in diameter above the basal 

 sheath. 



Stem succulent, very short, with 

 undeveloped internodes, except in the 

 flowering stem. 



Leaves simple, radical, alternate, 

 exstipulate, sessile, succulent, glabrous, 

 deep glaucous-green on both surfaces, 

 concave in vernation or convolute, spiny 

 at the margin at least in the seedling 

 stage, without discernible venation. 



No. 1. Lanceolate, acuminate, deep glaucous-green with a 

 hyaline minutely spiny margin, emerging from the basal sheath of 

 the cotyledon. 



FIG. 680. Agave Wislizeni, 

 Nat. size. 



DIOSCOREACEJE. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PI. iii. 741. 



Fruit and Seed. The plants of this Order have monoecious 

 or dioecious and only exceptionally or abnormally hermaphro- 

 dite flowers. The ovary is inferior, and three-celled with axile 

 placentation and two ovules in each cavity, suspended from 

 near the apex of the placentas and anatropous or almost 



