830 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



h. Chinese grass and Mamie. Transverse sections isolated or a 

 small number in a group ; their connection very loose ; 

 they are polygonal or irregular, and very large. Lami- 

 nation very evident ; cell-cavity large and irregular, often 

 filled with dark yellow masses; sometimes striated radially. 

 In the longitudinal aspect some fibres appear very broad, 

 but their breadth is very variable ; distortions evident ; 

 the ends thickly rounded. 



c. BiOa-fihre. Transverse sections not many in a group, poly- 



hedral, usually with straight or slightly curved sides and 

 rounded edges ; cell-cavity narrowly oblong, regular ; con- 

 tents sometimes yellow. Some transverse sections are sur- 

 rounded by a thin greenish lamella, and show well-marked 

 radial striae or fissures and connective lamination; the 

 separate lamellae vary in depth of colour. 



d. Cotton. Transverse sections always isolated, rounded, of 



various forms, usually reniform ; cell - cavity narrow, 

 linear, contents usually yellow. No lamination. 

 II. Transverse sections blue or violet, polyhedral, rounded or 

 irregular, always surrounded by a yellow middle lamella. 

 a. Hemp. Transverse sections always in groups, contiguous, 

 with rounded edges, surrounded by a thin yellow middle 

 lamella, beautifully laminated concentrically ; cell-cavity 

 linear, simple or branched, irregular, sometimes broad, 

 without contents. 

 &. Sunn-hemp. Transverse sections numerous in a group, 

 closely contiguous, resembling hemp, often sickle-shaped, 

 either polygonal or oval, with a small round cell-cavity, 

 often with yellow contents. Surrounded by a broad 

 yellow middle lamella, from which the inner laminae are 

 often detached. 

 B. Coloured yellow by iodine and sulphuric acid. 



I. Dicotyledons. No vessels besides the bast-fibres; cell-cavity 

 with constrictions. 



1. Transverse sections in groups, polygonal, bounded by 



straight lines, with sharp edges ; cell-cavity round or 

 oval, smooth, empty, surrounded by a narrow middle 

 lamella of the same colour. 

 a. Jute. Cell-cavity large, roundish, oval; middle lamella 

 very narrow ; no lamination ; the ends always rounded, 

 and almost always strongly thickened. 

 h. Abelmoschus. Transverse sections larger than a, bounded 

 by straight lines, sharp-edged ; cell-cavity a dot or line, 

 oval, rarely angular, smaller than a. Fibres of uni- 

 form thickness ; ends broad, rounded, often thickened ; 

 cell-cavity variable, often reduced to a line. 



2. Transverse sections always in groups, polygonal, bounded by 



straight lines, with sharp or slightly rounded edges ; cell- 

 cavity empty. Middle lamella broad and decidedly 



