202 



STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



Entada scandens. 



(Weight of resting seed 400 grains. Shrinking and swelling ratio z"5, taking the 

 weight of the entire seed as i. Pr. =pre-resting seed ; R. =resting seed ; and Sw. =the 

 seed swollen for germination. ) 



We will commence with the comparison of the regimes 

 of two types of leguminous seeds, that of Guilandina bonducella 

 and that of Faba vulgaris (Broad Bean), the first with im- 

 permeable, the last with permeable coverings. Employing 

 the data given in the table, we get the following results : — 



Comparison of the Shrinking and Swelling Ri^gimes of an 

 Impermeable and a Permeable Leguminous Seed, taking the 

 Weight of the Pre-resting Seed as 100. 



Illustrations 

 of the regime 

 ofthe shrink- 

 ing and 

 swelling 

 seed. 



Note that the pre-resting seed is the soft se A of the full-grown moist fruit. 



We here see that whilst in both seeds the coats of the 

 swelling seed fail to regain the water lost in the shrinking 

 process and the kernel ultimately holds more water than 

 it held in the pre-resting state, there is an important dis- 



