GERMINATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE 
EMBRYO OF ZEA MAYS SEPARATED FROM THE 
ENDOSPERM! 
Demetrius Ion Andronescu 
The Problem 
The problem which the author proposes to investigate is a threefold 
one: (i) To ascertain the germination and further development of embryos 
separated from endosperms and also from scutella; (2) To find a proper 
medium for the germination of embryos which will furnish a substitute 
for the removed endosperms and scutella; and (3) To ascertain the effect 
in heredity, if any, of this traumatism. 
Historical 
Bonnet (2), as quoted by Stingl (12), is credited with being the first to 
study the germination of embryos detached from the cotyledons in his 
work with Phaseolus multiflorus. 
Sachs (8), working also with Phaseolus multiflorus 3.nd with Zea Mays, 
pointed out that embryos when separated from their endosperms germi- 
nate poorly. He stated also in his Physiology of Plants (page 373) that the 
embryo during germination has a parasitic relation towards its endosperm, 
digesting and sucking up the latter through its absorption organ, the 
scutellum. 
Gris (6) germinated embryos of Mirahilis jalapa, Zea Mays, and many 
other plants in moist sponges. He observed that the first stage of germi- 
nation was based on the nutritive material found in the embryo itself, and 
only after the roots of maize attained a length of 3 cm. was he able to ob- 
serve the appearance of sugar in the endosperm; he believed the scutellum 
to be only an absorption organ of the embryo. 
Van Tieghem (13), working with seeds of Helianthus annuus, Mirahilis 
jalapa, and Zea Mays to ascertain (i) the dependence of the various parts 
of different organs of the embryo, and (2) the dependence of the embryo 
upon the endosperm; found that the plumule, radicle, and cotyledon, when 
separated and in a proper medium, but not the scutellum of the maize seed, 
are capable of independent growth and even of regeneration.' Further, he 
^ This article was read by title at the thirteenth annual meeting of the Botanical 
Society of America at Baltimore, Md., December 26-28, 1918. Owing to various circum- 
stances the writer has been unable, up to the present time, to continue his investigations 
on this subject, but he has decided to publish these meager observations hoping that they 
may be of interest to others whose work is in the same or similar lines. 
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