874 ILLUSTRATIONS OF POLICOTYLEDONY, 



Among all the seedlings and embryos seen by me, these are the 

 only typically dicotyledonous examples I have met with. Fig. 1 

 is slightly enlarged, the cotyledons of the seedling being about 

 10 x 3 mm. 



P. lanceolata Andr. — The examination of the first three hun- 

 dred seedlings collected, taking them as they came, gave the 

 following results :— 



With 3 cotyledons 84 



(L bipartite) 10 



(2 bipartite) 1 



186 



(I bipartite) 7 



12 



For this species the Baron gives 4-5 cotyledons. Hence I con- 

 clude that he was not able to examine a very large number of 

 embryos. In my table 4 appears as the dominant number (62%), 

 and 3 (28%) is more numerously represented than 5 (4%). In 

 terms of experience, this table simply means that if one takes a 

 considerable number of seedlings as they come, without specially 

 selecting them, and sorts them out into lots, one may expect to 

 find that those of the largest lot will have four cotyledons, those 

 of the next largest three, next those with five, and then the lots 

 of transitional forms, of which 3 with 1 bipartite cotyledon will 

 be commonest. And, mutatis mutandis, the Baron's numbers 

 (within the limitations allowed by the material at his disposal) 

 may be understood to signify something of this sort, except that 

 the dominant numbers are not mentioned, and one cannot deter- 

 mine them by inspection, in the absence of statistical data. A 

 good example of a typical seedling of this species with 4 cotyledons 

 is shown in fig. 3 of PL xxxiv.; and another aspect of one with 3> 

 which has not reproduced very well, in fig. 4 (the fourth fig. in 

 the top row, counting from the left) of PI. xxxv. 



P. salicina Pers. — The total number of seedlings procurable 

 was 82. 



With 3 cotyledons 11 



,, ,, ,, (1 bipartite) 5 



,, 4 „ 45 



,, „ ,, (1 bipartite) 7 



,. 5 „ 14 



