514 Worsdell . — The Morphology of the Monocotyledonous 
certainly not occur, but, instead, there would be two or three veins placed 
at equal distances from each other and from the margins. This ligular 
(stipular) character is further suggested by the seedlings observed by me 
with a forked coleoptile, this forking being a most natural occurrence in 
a leaf with this venation, and representing, in my opinion, a partial reversion 
to the primitive stipular condition of the coleoptile. Regel mentions the 
interesting and, in this connexion, important fact that the ligule of the 
foliage-leaf of Festuca spadicea is bifid. Ammophila and Bromus also have 
bifid ligules. The position, viz. on the same side as, and opposed to the 
cotyledon, as also (as above stated) the mode of development, of the 
coleoptile (especially in those Grasses which, like the Maize, are devoid of 
a mesocotyl) are still further features in support of its homology with the 
ligule of the foliage-leaf in this order. How much better it is to trust to 
these comparative data than to those exhibited by the advanced embryo 
considered by itself. 
Nature of the Epiblast. 
Turning now to the vexed question as to the nature of the ‘ epiblast 
we find that Poiteau, Mirbel, Turpin, Hackel, Warming, Bruns, van Tieghem, 
and Coulter regard it as a second cotyledon. This is owing chiefly to its 
position opposite the supposed lateral main cotyledon or scutellum and at 
the base of the supposed internode (mesocotyl). It appears widely separated 
from, and without connexion with, the scutellum, and as it occupies the 
same relative position as the latter on the opposite side of the primary node, 
it is best regarded, according to this view, as a second independent leaf or 
cotyledon. 
In my opinion, it will not do to rely, as van Tieghem does, solely on 
the course of vascular strands for determining the nature of an organ. 
The conclusions of Bruns and Coulter, again, are based solely on superficial 
appearances. It is simply astounding that no deeper investigations into the 
comparative morphology of the organ concerned, nor into the results of 
researches of other authors in this connexion, have been thought necessary. 
Undoubtedly, if we are to judge by the appearance presented by such 
embryos as those of Zizania (Fig. 4), Oryza , and Leersia , the epiblast and 
scutellum are two lateral cotyledons, the mesocotyl is the first epicotyle- 
donary internode, and the coleoptile is the first plumular leaf situated in its 
proper position (following the distichous arrangement) on the same side as, 
and directly over, the scutellum. Coulter does not seem to be aware of the 
existence of Celakovsky’s able paper in which quite another side of this 
question is presented. Therein is to be found a comprehensive and most 
interesting discussion on the nature of the epiblast. As Coulter has passed 
it over, I will here give its gist. 
