Botanical Miscellany? 



567 



When the plantule, hitherto concealed, begins to extend its disc beyond 

 the lips of the cotyledon, passing over the scutellum, and projecting far be- 

 yond it, the spur of the plantule, seated within the cavity (Jig. 97. a) of the 

 100 mi 1-— — ^^^^g. lower lip, also grows 



larger j and its gra- 

 dual developement 

 is marked by a. con- 

 tinually increasing 

 prominence just be- 

 low the scutellum 

 (Jigs. 100, 101, and 

 102.), in the middle 

 of the lower lip, which is at length pierced (Jig. 103.), and the spur becomes 

 the root of the now almost erect plantule. The root 

 bears at its extremity a sheath, not formed of a por- 

 tion of the lower lip, as I once erroneously sup- 

 posed, but precisely similar to that found on the roots 

 of the parent plants or innovations afterwards pro- 

 duced. (Jigs. 103, 104, 105, 106, and 107.) The root 

 continues to grow until it is about six times as long 

 as the seed (sometimes it remains very short) ; and 

 the lower portion of the embryo within the integu- 

 ments of the seed now swells, and becoming slightly 

 bulbous at its extremity, is securely retained within 

 An innovation, or secondary plant, from one or other of the sides 



them. 



of the plantule (Jigs. 104. 106, and 107.), near the insertion of the root, 

 now makes its appearance. (I do not remember 

 to have seen an instance in which there was 

 one on each side of the same plantule, though 

 I have frequently seen a second innovation after- 

 wards arise close to the first.) Its developement 

 is exactly similar to those subsequently pro- 

 duced; and the spur or root does not pierce 

 any portion of the plantule, but slips from the 

 lower margin of the fissure, which has the same 

 appearance as the (so termed) calyx in the fer- 

 tile plant. This secondary plant usually bears 

 two innovations op. each side ; and at the time 

 when the plantule has thus given birth to a race 

 of grandchildren, viviparously produced, the 

 cot3'ledon remains attached to the whole, without any symptoms of decay, 

 and the integuments of the seed are still retained unaltered by the lower 

 portion of the embryo. At this stage the plantule appears to be destitute 



o o 4 



