Lily-kin and Rose-kin 121 
After the dicotyledon has formed its roots and is 
fairly started in life, its leaves may grow up the 
stem singly or in pairs, and new ones may unfold 
one at a time or two together. But whatever indi- 
vidual eccentricities or family characteristics appear 
in the arrangement of later foliage, the seed-leaves 
of the rose’s kin are always two, alike and opposite. 
But the lily’s many kin have each, as the 
ponderous term monocotyledon implies, but a 
single seed-leaf. In the ripe grain- or grass-seed 
it has a peculiar shield-like form, and it is wrapped 
completely around the second leaf and the stem 
that is to be. When the grain begins to sprout 
the upper end of the cotyledon remains in the seed 
and feeds on the nutriment which has been stored 
there. But its lower part lengthens and pushes all 
the rest of the little plant out into the world. 
This cotyledon’s main purpose in life is to ab- 
sorb the starches and other nourishing things 
packed away in the grain, and not to digest crude 
sap, as most leaves do. It has, in most in- 
stances, no use for chlorophyll, and therefore it is 
seldom green. 
We may find it near the roots of a young 
grass-plant, shrivelled away, now that its work is 
done, to a little horny, brownish scale. 
