1898 - 99 .] Edith Chick on Eicinus Communis. 
659 
Arrangement of Bundles in the Epicotyl. 
Even before the cotyledon traces leave for the petioles, the 
groups of three bundles between them, of which the central one is 
always the largest, increase their number by divisions. After the 
bundles a and /3 and the branches arising from them have moved 
out from the stele, there is a gap left corresponding to their posi- 
tions. To fill this up, there is a branching in sometimes one and 
sometimes both of the groups adjacent to the gap at a much lower 
level than in the case of the other groups. In the present specimen 
branching took place in the groups between cotyledon traces 1 and 
2 and 5 and 6 at about 16 '5 cm. from the collet, and the median 
members of the group divided to two. These two still being larger 
than the lateral members of the same group. In the other groups 
division usually takes place in the lateral members, these remaining 
much smaller than the central one (fig. 14). 
The divisions do not take place regularly, nor at the same 
level (fig. 8 and fig. 16), but there is a certain uniformity in the 
arrangement of the bundles in every specimen examined. By 
means of the more active divisions in the groups between 1 and 2 
and 5 and 6, enough bundles are formed, so that by a general 
shifting the gaps in the plane of the cotyledons are filled up ; one 
of the larger bundles of each of these groups moving round to take 
up the central position. As a result, the larger bundles are now 
arranged more or less regularly round the circle. 
These large bundles leave the stele simultaneously for the first 
pair of leaves which are decussate with the cotyledons, approxi- 
mately half going to each leaf. Again lateral shifting takes place 
to fill the spaces left by these bundles. Of the smaller bundles 
remaining, all are not of the same size, some being larger and more 
fully developed than others. These larger bundles are again 
arranged at approximately regular intervals round the stele. 
Subsequent leaves are alternate, but each is supplied by these 
larger bundles situated all round the stem. These starting from 
the side opposite the leaf progressively leave the cylinder and anasto- 
mose to form a nodal plexus which runs completely round the stem, 
and gives off branches to the petiole (figs. 17 and 17a). (The 
