576 



ON SEEDLINGS 



amphitropous. The fruit is capsular and three-valved or 

 baccate and indehiscent ; when capsular the seeds are com- 

 pressed, and when baccate they are globose. In both cases 

 these forms relate to the method of distribution. The endo- 

 sperm is fleshy or almost 

 cartilaginous. The embryo 

 is small and slightly distant 

 from the hilum. 



The seed of Testudinaria 

 elephantipes is elliptic, very 

 much compressed or flat- 

 tened, and winged. 



Seedling. Testudinaria 

 elephantipes (fig. 681) may 

 be given as a type of the 

 Order. The cotyledon re- 

 mains in the seed after 

 germination till it decays. 

 The hypocotyl is subter- 

 ranean, very short, and de- 

 velops in the early stages of 

 the seedling into an ovoid, 

 fleshy tuber. The first leaf 

 is comparatively large, cor- 

 date and somewhat reticu- 

 late with five strong nerves 

 radiating from the base, and 

 becoming curved at their 

 tips. The persistent root- 

 stock or stem ultimately 

 becomes a woody, flattened, 

 globose or conical mass, 

 rather deeply fissured in a 

 reticulate manner, presenting the appearance of the shell of 

 a tortoise. 



Testudinaria elephautipes, Burch. (fig. 681). 

 Primary root elongated, flexuose, stout, with fibrous lateral 

 rootlets. 



Hypocotyl very short, subterranean, thickening into a fleshy, 



FIG. 681. Testudinaria elepliantipes. 



S, seed ; P, plumule ; C, fleshy tuber from 



hypocotyl. Nat. size. 



