McDonald : Broad-leaved Wood Garlic. 



seedling. When the albumen has all been absorbed (this tak- 

 ing some time), the whole cotyledon and the seed coat decay. 

 Whilst the first leaf is developing, the radicle elongates, though 

 not to the extent found in dicotyledons, and a little later this 

 is supplemented by several adventitious roots from the base of 



%x 



Fig. I to 4. — Stages of germination, a, protruded portion of cotyledon 

 of I enlarged ; s, slit ; x, seed coat ; r, radicle ; ar, adventitous rootlets ; 

 Sc , sheathing scale leaf ; Fo , first foliage leaf twisting, i, October : 

 2, November ; 3, January ; 4 , March 



the plumule, each attaining approximately the length of the 

 radicle (see figs. 3 and 4). Only one foliage leaf* is formed 

 the first season, and it is protected in its passage through the 

 soil by a sheathing scale leaf (sc , figs. 3 and 4). 



A peculiar feature of the foliage leaves is that they 

 are formed in the bud in exactly the reverse manner to those 

 of other plants ; that is, the upper surface of the blade is formed 

 like the under surface of other leaves. When the leaf appears 

 above the soil, its petiole twists until the surfaces of the blade 

 are reversed ; what was the lower or dorsal surface in the bud 

 is then turned to the light, f 



In vernation the edges of the leaves are prettily rolled 

 towards the mid-rib, practically it may be considered revolute, 



Fig. 6. — Transverse section (diagrammatic) of a mature bulb in January 

 that will multiply, i.e. form two by end of season. 



Fig- 8. — Transverse section of mature bulb that will only form one 

 new bulb at end of season. Letters as in figs. 7 and 9. 



* Rarely two. 



t Sydney H. Vines. 'A Students' Text book of Botany ' (1896), p. 164. 



1909 May 1. 



