8 
there was an increase (Plate LIII, Figs. rand 3). The numbers 
noted are arranged below in tabular form, but it would be rash 
to attempt to drawconclusions from so’small a number of sections, 
and they are given chiefly to indicate that there is a lack of uni- 
formity in this respect. It may be pointed out, however, that 
| SPECIES, | Basithes in the cotyledon. hinicnuone oe the Root. 
A. trichophyllus, Bunge . 3 or 4 5 
| A. rugulosus . | 4 or 5 4 or 5 
| A. medeoloides, Thunb. . | 5 5 or 7 
| 3 7 
A. plumosus, Baker . 
A. plumosus and A. medeoloides, both of which on germination 
retain two rhizome buds within the cotyledon sheath, also have 
most protoxylems in their root-stele. This appears, moreover, 
to be independent of the number of bundles in the cotyledon, 
since A. medeoloides has five, but A. plumosus only three. 
Germination. 
Seed of all the species examined was sown in a moist hot-house, 
one portion on the surface of cocoanut fibre, another in pots of 
sandy soil at a depth of an inch or more. About three weeks 
elapsed in most cases before the commencement of germination, 
though under similar conditions Scholz (58) states that seed of A. 
officinalis began growth in eight days. The discrepancy may be 
accounted for by the fact that this plant is hardy, while those 
I experimented with require in this country protection under 
glass. When germination commences, that part of the cotyledon 
situated just above the plumule begins to elongate. The radicle 
is thus caused to press against the dome-shaped covering of the 
micropyle, and since this is less thickened than the rest of the 
seed-coat it gives way and falls out like a little circular lid. As 
soon as the developing portion of the cotyledon has lengthened 
sufficiently to ensure that the slit at its base, through which the 
shoot has later to escape, is quite free, its growth ceases, with 
the result that the seed remains closely attached to the seedling 
(C, Fig. 3). By this time the radicle has begun to elongate very 
rapidly ; it develops into a very short hypocotyl and a stout, 
long-lived tap-root (Plate LIII, Fig. 15). Root hairs are not 
produced close to its apex, so that there is always a portion at 
the extremity of the root, behind the root-cap, free from hairs. 
