ACACIA SEEDLINGS. 145 



from the soil, and after being placed in boiling water was 

 again planted. After another five weeks, or nineteen weeks 

 from the time the seed was taken from the sea-water, and 

 had been three times placed in boiling water, the little 

 seedling appeared. 



The object of placing the seed in boiling water was to 

 soften the coating, and hasten the germination by allowing 

 the moisture to enter, which process is often performed in 

 nature by bush fires. Had this particular seed not been so 

 treated, it might not have germinated for years. 



This experiment shows the wonderful vitality of the seed 

 owing to it being encased in a very strong testa, and 

 demonstrates the possibility of it retaining the power of 

 germination for a sufficient length of time to be drifted in 

 a piece of wood for thousands of miles. 



It was mentioned in Part I, 1 that of four seeds planted 

 after having been in sea-water for three months, two 

 germinated. 



One of the remaining seeds, after having been left in the 

 soil twenty-three months, has recently germinated. 



Descriptions of Seedlings. 

 Continue. 



Acacia triptera, Benth., " Wait a While." Seeds from 

 Howell, N. S. Wales (T. S. McOrae). (Plate I, Num- 

 bers 1 and la.) 



Seeds shiny black, oblong, 3 to 3*5 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 

 1*5 mm. thick. 



Hypocotyl erect, terete, pale pink to greenish, 1*2 to 

 2*7 cm. long, *7 to 1*5 mm. thick at base, *5 to *8 mm. at 

 apex, glabrous. 



1 This Journal, Vol. xlix, (1915), p. 94. 



J— August 2, 191 . 



