91 



* 



.< 



other one below the primary root, which is now entirely 

 faded. The roots do not show any sign of ramification, and 

 they arc but sparingly covered with root-hairs. 



It is curious to see, that the pair of roots (r^) that are 

 already visible in that very early state, appearing there (Fig. 

 143) as two round spots, have now first been developed. 

 The space of time, that has passed since the first stage of 

 germination (Fig. 140) to the last one' (Fig. 148), is about 

 three months, and still the scutellum is attached to the plant- 

 let, and is not changed in any considerable degree in size 

 or in shape. 



In regard to the rhizome of the full-grown plant of Pel- 

 tandra undulata, this does not show any essential difference 

 from that of the young plant, shown in Fig. 148, The stem 

 is very short, sparingly branched with ascending shoots, 

 covered with the sheaths of the leaves and emitting numerous 

 whitish, rather thick roots, that are but sparingly branched 

 at their ends. 



Oro?itiiim aqziatictim. 



This genus belongs to the tribe " Symplocarpea^/' and the 

 fruit contains only one seed, which is exalbuminous, pro- 

 vided with a mucilagineous jelly, similar to that of Peltmidra. 

 The embryo and the testa of the seed are light green, and the 

 germination commences immediately after the maturity of the 

 fruits, as soon as they have dropped. Several germinating 

 plantlets were collected in the month of June in the stage of 

 germination, shown on Plate XVIII, Fig. 150. The cotyledon 



F 



is large, roundish, and very much like that of Peltandra, but 

 does not show the furrow, that embraces the plumule as in 

 Peltandra, but simply a shallow cavity of irregular form. 



The first leaf, alternating with the cotyledon, is nearly 

 linear, pointed and sheathing at the base, terete, not bicari- 

 nate. It is to be especially remarked, that the primary root 

 does not come out before the first leaf has attained its full 

 size, and the appearance of the whole root system seems to 

 develop very slowly in this plant. W^e find the same condi- 

 tion, as mentioned in Peltandra, that is, that the shape of the 



A 



