18 
would expect in plants, such as Smilax, with large leaves and long 
climbing stems, both are well represented in the plumule of a 
young seedling (Plate LIV, Fig. 26). The first leaf—a kataphyll— 
is rapidly developed and appears from the sheath of the cotyledon 
before the primary axis (C, Fig. 8), which soon follows (E, Fig. 8). 
This is the only basal scale-leaf produced, and subtends a very 
large rhizome bud exactly like that of Asparagus (Plate LIV, 
Fig. 27). Moreover, both the hypocotyl and the epicotyl remain, 
as in that genus, quite unelongated. 
SUMMARY. 
Asparagus (p. 4). 
1. The embryo is long and narrow, straight or somewhat 
curved, and consists of a ae cotyledon, a plumule, and a well- 
differentiated radicle (p. 6 
2. The plumule lies we the root-pole, and i is quite undiffer- 
entiated into leaf-primordia and axial portion. It consists of a 
dome-shaped patch of meristematic tissue, and occupies a lateral 
position, slanting downwards and outwards (pp. 6 and 12). 
3. The vascular systém of the embryo seems variable, both 
in different species and different individuals (p. 7). 
4. The type of germination found throughout the genus is 
remarkably constant. It is characterised by the stout persistent 
tap-root; by the dominance of the axis; by the failure to 
elongate of hypocotyl, epicotyl, and sometimes even the inter- 
node above the latter; and by the presence of hypogeous kata- 
phylls at the bases of the shoots, in whose axils large rhizome 
buds arise (p. 8). 
5. The mass of the plumular meristem gives rise to axis, the 
basal kataphylls being derived from a small portion at its outer 
margin (p. II 
6. Each kataphyil btends asingle rhi bud (pp. roand 12). 
7. The species ‘examined can be divided into two groups— 
those having at the base of their primary axis one, and those 
having two kataphylls (pp. 5, 9, and 12). 
The apex of the shoot is always protected by two or more 
scale-leaves. In its upper part the cladodes arising in the axils 
of the leaves develop almost as rapidly as the leaves themselves 
(pp. 10 and 13). 
g. The elongation and branching of the sympodial rhizome 
is brought about by the rhizome buds (p. ro). 
10. The primary root acts as a pull-root, and sometimes as 
a storage-root (p. 10). 
