THE WHITE LILY 



195 



soluble before they can be ab- 

 sorbed. This is brought about 

 by means of various ferments, 

 which are probably secreted by 

 the tip of the cotyledon (see p. 

 216). 



In its lower, sheathing part 

 the cotyledon encloses the bud 

 of the stem, and below this 

 again are the rudimentary hypo- 

 cotyl and the main root, which 

 is developed from the radicle 

 and grows straight downwards. 

 Henceforth the seedling is able 

 to provide its own mineral food. 

 The seed-coat is lifted high 

 above the ground on the tip of 

 the cotyledon, which becomes a 

 long narrow green leaf, and thus 

 constitutes the first assimilating 

 organ of the seedling (see Fig. 9 3). 



The young stem develops into 

 the bulb, the first bulb -scale 

 being formed by the sheath of 

 the cotyledon. Other scale- 

 leaves are soon formed from the 



FIG. 93. Young seedling of a Lily (L. giganteum). r, main root; 

 c, cotyledon ; b, base of cotyledon, forming first scale of bulb ; 

 pi, arrow pointing to plumule, now hidden, which will grow out 

 through the crevice in base of cotyledon; s, seed-coat, still 

 attached to tip of cotyledon ; G...G, level of ground. Natural 

 size. (R. S.) 



