5224 TESTA, THE SKIN. 



denominated is the Albumen, as in Corn, the real 

 Cotyledon of which is the scale or Vitdlus, which 

 last oman however seems wanting in Palms. Lilies. 



o o * * 



&c.. such having really no Cotyledon at all, nor 

 any thing that can perform its office, except the 

 stalk of their Embryo, which indeed may answer 

 the purpose of a Cotyledon, just as the stems of 

 many plants fulfil the office of leaves. In the Horse 

 Chesnut, Oak and Walnut possibly, whose seed- 

 lobes do not ascend, the functions of a real Coty- 

 ledon, as far as air is concerned, and those of the 

 Albumen may be united in these lobes, as is the 

 case with most Leguminous plants ; which is ren- 

 dered more probable, as several of the latter have 

 the corresponding parts likewise remaining under 

 ground. Hence the divided " Vitdhis" as Gaertner 

 terms it, of the Cyamu-s\& to be considered as a pair 

 of subterraneous Cotyledons, and the plant conse- 

 quently ranges near its natural allies the Poppy tribe, 

 as Mr. Salisbury, without the aid of physiology, has 

 shown in the Annals of Botany, *?. %.p. 70, 75. 



Testa, f. 4, the Skin, conta'ins all the parts of a 

 seed above described, giving them their due shape ; 

 for the skin is perfectly formed, while they are but 

 % a homogeneous liquid. This coat differs in thickness 

 and texture in different plants. It is sometimes 

 single, but more frequently lined with a finer and 

 very delicate film, called by Gaertner Mcmbrana, 



