1898 - 99 .] Edith Chick on Eicinus Communis. 
655 
bundles have not changed their position, nor do they do so 
throughout the passage. 
The next stage is the separation of the eight xylem bundles 
from each other, and at the same time a rotation as on a pivot 
through 90° from a tangential to a radial direction, the proto- 
xylems coming to point towards the pith (fig. 4). Thus the four 
original xylem bundles have each split into two, and the halves 
separating come into contact with the halves from the original 
xylem bundle on either side ; the union taking place in front of 
the phloems (figs. 4 and 5). There are now four typical stem 
bundles, each, however, with two distinct protoxylems (fig. 5). 
The last stage is the splitting of these four bundles, half of the 
original phloem going to each (fig. 6). In this way the eight 
bundles of the hypocotyl appear. 
Exactly similar stages could be made out in a microtome series 
of transverse sections of an embryo dissected from an ungerminated 
seed of Eicinus. 
Gamostely in an Abnormal Eoot. 
In external appearance the abnormal root mentioned above was 
irregularly oval instead of being cylindrical. 
Hear the tip, sections showed that, corresponding to the oval 
form, the vascular system was composed of two typical root steles, 
each with a normal pith, but the two inclosed by one common 
endodermis. 
A little higher up the piths connected across, and some of the 
xylems and phloems were, in consequence, pushed to the outside. 
Fresh bundles also entered from the lateral roots until the number 
of xylem bundles was increased from eight to ten, and later, by the 
division of one to two, the number was further increased to eleven. 
The phloems formed irregular shaped patches between the xylem 
bundles. 
The vascular cylinder now had roughly the appearance of a 
crescent, on the concave side of which the endodermis had become 
less distinct (fig. 7 ( a ) ). 
Higher up, the horns of the crescent fused, and a portion of 
the cortex was inclosed. By this time the concave arc of 
