OF PLANTS. 71 



found, either In the blossom of the same plant, or of another 

 individual of the same species. These consist essentially of 

 hollow and generally pear-shaped bodies wnich have a 

 small opening at the upper end. A body of this kind is 

 called the germen, and the orifice the stigma. In the 

 cavity occur little protuberances formed of cellular tissue, 

 the seed-buds, to which the very inappropriate name of 

 ovules was formerly given. In each of the seed-buds is 

 one very large cell, called the embryo-sac. At the flowering 

 period, the pollen falls upon the stigma, and then 

 commences the development of the reproductive cells. 

 Each one extends itself into a long filament, exactly as 

 in the Cryptogamla, and in this form penetrates to the 

 cavity of the germen, to enter one of the seed-buds, and 

 finally, into the embryo-sac. The extremity which has 

 passed in, now becomes filled with cells, and these develop 

 forthwith into a perfect, though as yet simple and minute, 

 plantule, the so-called embryo or germ, (PL HI, 

 Figs. 6 9.) Simultaneously with the development of 

 the pollen-cell into the embryo, the seed-bud is perfected 

 into a seed, the germen into the fruit. A pause in the 

 growth now suddenly occurs, and the seed may often be 

 preserved for a long time in this apparently dead condition. 

 But when favourable external circumstances come into 

 play, the life begins anew with the further unfolding of the 

 plant, which is commonly called germination, (PL HI, 

 Figs. 10 12.) How long the vital power may slumber 

 in the seed, is shown by the fact that the late Count von 

 Sternberg raised healthy plants of wheat from grains which 

 were found in a mummy-case, (which, therefore, must have 

 reposed for 3000 years) and laid these before the Assembly 

 of Naturalists in Freyburg. This experiment has also been 

 made in England. 



