J4 ON TUB STRUCTURE AND GROWTH OF SEEDS. 



In the part from which the pocket stretches tlie primordial 

 leaffchoots, at least in the phoenix dactylif'era. There are 

 some very extraordinary tilings belonging to this seed ; it has 

 the appearance of being- formed of a collection of extremely 

 diminutive palm-leaves, coagulated and pressed together 

 into so hard a substance, that, when cut into very ihia slices 

 with the xoood-cutter, it present^ a picture of pieces of palni 

 leaves with all their veins .Jnd vessels. It is a long seed, and 

 rolled, with a deep, incibion down the middle; and having 

 the appearance of a ver} diminutive leaf, but very broad, 

 opposite to the covculuni, which lies also in the middle of 

 the seed, a very unusual circumstance. See Figs. 26, 27. 

 Little wild The corcuhim is unconirnoaly large and white. The little 

 V^^- wild palm has a stili larger heart; the seed is round; it 



lias two cotyledons spreadiiig round it in the same manner 

 as the other palm ; and the wax palm has also two cotyle- 

 i dons, but thinner, whiter, and more delicate. I have 

 planted them, and hope in my next to show their appear- 

 ance when leaving their eeed, which, as they require time, 

 J have not yet been able to do. 

 daises. As to the grasses, the reason that all physiologists have 



joined in refusing the name of cotyledons to those diminu- 

 tive leaves, which have al4 the appearance of seminal leaves, 

 and certain!}/ perform all the functions of them, such as 

 screening the primordial leaves. &c., has been, I suppose, 

 because, instead of appearitig at the middle of the bottom 

 part of the cotyledons, they appear at the two sides; but 

 they are undoubtedly the cotyledons, and the leaf, which 

 has falsely been called so, is the primordial leaf, and proves 

 ifself to be thiSy by showing a complete grass leaf, exactly 

 the same as those which succeed it. The cotyledons are 

 diminutive, thin, silvery leaves, that screen the primordial 

 ones; and should, I think, be restored to their original de- 

 nomination. 

 DiviMon of There can be no doubt, that the division of plants is an 



plants. excellent one; but it would be quite as good, when founded 



on the primordial leaves being single, as the cotyledons- be- 

 ing so, I have had some thoughts of arranging the seeds 

 in such a manner, that a word or two added to the present 

 general dejcription should indicate what sort of seed the 



plant 



