68 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XXL 



'rhe embryo has the shape of a short cylinder with an elongated 

 cone on top of it. It is covered all over, except in the central 

 portion of the end of the radicle, with a continuous epidermis, the 

 cells of which are slightly elongated in the direction of the radius. 

 The plumule is straight and its axis coincides with that of the 

 embryo. In the peripheric portion of the cotyledon there are 

 three or four hypo-epidei'mic layers consisting of smaller and more 

 granular elements than the rest. Vascular bundles of elongated 

 and narrow cells run through the cotyledon. 



At the moment of germination the cotyledonal petiole becomes 

 longer and forms, close to the seed, a swelling. At the base of the 

 primary root thin lateral rootlets are formed, but none of these 

 bear root-hairs. At a later state numerous lateral roots are deve- 

 loped which are smaller than the primary root. The first leaf is 

 reduced to a sheath. Finally the cotyledonal petiole and sheath 

 1)egin to wither and decay. (Fig. 14.) 



cs.-- 



Put. 14. — Successive stages in the germination of Corypha uinbracidifera . 

 c, p z= cotyledonal petiole. p. r. = primary root, 



c. s. = cotyledonal sheath. 11. and 12. = first and second leaf. 



Uses. — The leaves are extensively used by the lower classes of 

 Singalese as umbrellas. They are extremely well adapted for that 

 purpose, one outspread leaf affording sufficient shelter for seven or 

 eight persons. Umbrellas made of the leaves are largely exported 



