98 



STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



already been made in this chapter to Mr Crocker's description 

 of the " dimorphic " seeds of Axyris amaranthoides ; and 1 will 

 now contrast the two types of seeds developed by Entada 

 polystachya, not only as regards their external characters, but 

 also in other associated qualities. 



Comparison of the two Types of Seeds produced by 

 Entada polystachya. 



The two 

 kinds of 

 seeds dis- 

 played by 

 Entada 

 polystachya. 



Note. — The full display of the absorptive quality after heating was not elicited in the 

 oven-experiments, since the seeds were merely cut in halves in their coats. A period 

 of at least a week would have been needed for a proper comparison with the absorptive 

 capacity of the unheated seeds, where the coats and kernels, being treated separately, 

 were better able to take up moisture from the air. 



We see in the above tabulated results that the two types 

 of seeds exhibited by Entada polystachya diiFer in all the 

 critical points that distinguish pei-meable and impermeable 

 seeds, viz., in water-contents, hygroscopic behaviour, and 

 absorptive capacity in air ; and we see also that they differ 



