580 OX SEEDLINGS 



protuberances ; above this it swells, forming the first bulb, a small 

 ovoid body containing a fleshy scale-leaf. 

 Leaves none the first year. 



PALALE. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL iii. 870. 



Fruit and Seed. The ovary is free, ovoid, oblong or glo- 

 bose, rudimentary or absent in male flowers, more or less 

 perfectly three- rarely four- to seven-celled, entire or trilobed, 

 or formed of three more or less distinct carpels. The ovules 

 are solitary in each carpel and erect or fixed by a broad base 

 to the interior angle, subhorizontal or pendulous, anatropous 

 or semi-anatropous. Fruit dry, baccate or drupaceous, with 

 the terminal excentric, lateral or basilar remains of the style 

 or stigmas, one- rarely two- to many-celled and -seeded, 

 rarely consisting of one to three distinct one-seeded carpels. 

 Exocarp frequently fibrous, endocarp membranous, crust- 

 aceous, woody or stony, smooth internally or wrinkled and 

 marked by the branching raphe, having hi the Cocoineae three 

 symmetrical pits, two of which correspond to barren cells. 

 Seeds conforming to the endocarp, and free or adherent to 

 it, with a basilar or lateral hilum ; testa closely adherent 

 to the albumen, raphe short or elongated, often adherent to 

 the endocarp, sometimes surrounding the seed with numerous 

 branches varying in direction and often branching again or 

 reticulate. Endosperm horny or cartilaginous, sometimes oily, 

 solid or hollow or indented at the apex or side, often ruminate. 

 Embryo small, conical or cylindrical, sunk in the periphery of 

 the endosperm, usually at the hilum next the dorsal side, 

 rarely lateral or apical. 



Germination takes place according to a very prevalent 

 monocotyledonous type. The radicle, pushing aside the 

 operculum hi the testa, emerges first, and penetrates the soil 

 usually to a considerable depth, becoming both long and 

 strong. The very short hypocotyl is thus drawn out of the 

 seed, bearing the rapidly elongating sheath of the cotyledon 



