/HI.] THE BEAN-PLANT. 77 



d. The root-sheath, covering the tip of each rootlet : 

 this is difficult to get "whole out of the ground in 

 the bean, but is readily seen by examining the 

 roots of duckweed {Lemna) with 1 inch obj. In 

 the latter plant it consists of several layers of 

 cells forming a cap on the end of the root, and 

 ending abruptly with a prominent rim some way 

 up it. 



c. The stem. 



1. Erect, green, four-cornered with a ridge at each angle ; 

 not woody ; the gradual shortening of the internodes 

 towards its apex. 



2. Cut a thin transverse section of the stem, through an 

 interned e ; note its central cavity, and the whitish ring 

 of Jibro-vascular bundles in it, which is harder to 

 cut than the rest : mount in water and examine with 

 1 inch obj. : note — 



a. The medullary or pith-cavity in the centre of the 

 section. 



h. The pith-cells, around the central cavity: large 

 and more or less rounded {parenchyma) : some- 

 times with dotted walls from spots of local thin- 

 ness on them. 



c. The epidermis: composed of a single layer of 

 somewhat squarish-looking cells, containing no 

 chlorophyll. 



d. Beneath the epidermis several layers of large 

 rounded cells containing chlorophyll {parenchyma 

 of the baric). 



e. The medullary rays: radiating rows of paren- 

 chymatous cells uniting b and d : not quite con- 



