now A ri.AN'T GKTS OUT OF THF. SF.Kl). 



17 



9. lU'CKwii i:a r. Toe so called seed is not a seed but is made 

 up of a uod with the seed closely united to the pod. This union 

 is not as close as ia the case of corn. It is not, however, a true 

 pod. Buckwheat kernels are usually brownish in color, though 

 some are gray. In our common buckwheat the kernel has three 



sharp ridges running from 

 the broad base to the point- 

 ed tip. The sides are some- 

 what similar. In some 

 cases you may be able to 

 see three somevv-hat re- 

 curved affairs. Let us nov/ 

 remove the brovv'n cover- 

 ing; underneath it you will 

 observe a lighter colored 

 T3art, the seed-coat. A 

 small, yellowish brown, 

 circular spot with a darker 

 center occurs v/here the 

 seed was attached to the 

 brown hull. We w^ill nov/ cut the buckwheat kernels across near 

 the base. Fig. 16. You Vv'ill observe that most of the seed is 

 made up of a white,, mealy substance the nourishing material 



Figure 15. 



Buckwheat in procsss of gsrminatirg. ?' radi- 

 cle puihirg its way out. The Cotviedons or 

 seed leaves <.ot. still within coat. 



C^/.: 



Figure 16. 



Cross-section buckv/heat, the dotted 

 portion being endosperm or albumen 

 which is food for the growing embryo 

 which is folded inside. 



Figure 17. 



Embryo of Buckwheat showing 

 manner of folding in seed. 



consisting largely of starch for the young growing embryo. This 

 is the endosperm. In this white mealy substance is a small, 

 slender somewhat folded, thread-like body, the embryo. 

 The seed leaves are very thin and folded and hence have 

 the appearance of being thread-like in cross-section. Fig. 17. 



