GERMINATION OF AMARYLLIDE^. 



423 



When I first brought this subject formally before the Scientific Com- 

 mittee of the Society I compared the Original Process of Crinum (as 

 representing the Monocotyledons) with the Cotyledons and Cotyledon-stems 

 of Phaseolus vulgaris (as representing the Dicotyledons), and exhibited 

 live specimens of the seeds of both plants in the process of germination 

 [Vol. xxvii, p. xxxix\ 



In Phaseolus there is no discernible process (or Cotyledon-stem) 

 connecting the sub-cleft Cotyledon with the young plants ; there is nothing 

 visible that is in any way a counterpart to the Original Process in Crinum. 

 However, in certain Sterculiaceous plants these Cotyledon-stems are both 

 well developed and very clearly duplicated (vide drawings of Cola vera, 

 figs. Ill, 112). 



Fi<;. 112. — Cola vera, germinating. Live size. 

 The cotyledon in its natural position, lobes superimposed. 



Each half of the Cotyledon is, in this case, roughly cordate, and is 

 sub-cleft again at the point of attachment. The duplicate Cotyledon- 

 stems are h inch long, and it is this process (" S " in fig. 112) which finds 

 its counterpart in the Original Process of Crinum. 



If we imagine the halves of the Cotyledon and of the Cotyledon-stems in 

 Cola vera to become ankylosed to each other, we at once see before us 

 the counterpart of the simple Cotyledon and of the Original Process of 

 Crinum. 



It is obvious that if the dual Cotyledon-stems of Cola were anky- 

 losed, then the upward growth of the young plant would be compelled to 

 burst its way through them (as in Crinum), instead of issuing between 

 them. 



The comparison is both interesting and instructive, and is complete as 

 far as any analogy can be. 



The Radicle in Cola probably becomes the taproot, and an organ vital 

 to the mature plant, whereas in Crinum it is a temporary organ only. 



