76 



which differs very much from that of the first two pairs of 

 leaves of the germinating plantlet (Plate Xfl, Fig. 82). We 

 see in this figure that the first pair of leaves, next the cotyle- 

 dons, are ovate, but with the margin perfectly entire and the 

 apex obtuse, while the next pair (Fig. 83) show a slight 

 lobation, with a long middle-lobe, forming the transition to the 

 serrate margin and the long point of the final leaves. The 

 cotyledons are long-petioled, with the blade broadly oblong 

 and the apex slightly retuse ; the hypocotyl is straight and 

 long, and the primary root, which is slender, shows several 

 ramifications. 



PALM^. 



E 



Sab ill Palmetto, 



The fruit of this genus, which belongs to the tribe Cory- 

 pheae, is a black, monospermouSj dry berry. The albumen 

 is cartilagineous and the apex of the cotyledon is trans- 



L 



formed to a conical spongy body, closely imbedded in and 

 absorbinef the albumen. When the erermination begins, 



j^v.xxAi*.xe^^xwxx .-v,^ 



r. 



the thick, conical primary root penetrates the pericarp and 

 carries the plumule along with it. The plumule is, however, 

 not visible at the very early stage of germination, figured on 

 Plate XIII, Fig, 84, but is enclosed by the base of the cotyl- 

 edon, which is represented here by two clearly differentiated 

 parts, the above-mentioned conical spongy apex, enclosed by 

 the albumen, and the free cylindric base. A short time later 

 — that is, after one or two weeks — the anterior part of the 

 base of the cotyledon begins to show a small protuberance, 

 which quite rapidly grows outward towards the surface of the 

 ground, attains a length of one inch or even more, and be- 

 comes at last ruptured by the penetration of the plumule, and 

 forms a cylindrical closed sheath around it. The first leaf 

 "alternates with the cotyledon, is whitish, scale-like and partly 

 sheathing, and encloses the base of the next leaf, which is 

 green and lanceolate in shape. As to the primary root, this 

 dies off very soon, almost simultaneously with the appearance 

 of the second leaf, and forms a thickish, conical body, entirely 

 destitute of ramifications. Fig. %6 shows a young plant, 

 where the fruit has disappeared, together with the en- 



% 



\ 



^ 



