58 
WRIGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 
raised from seed obtained from cultivated trees in India and 
Ceylon and from the jungle. The delayed epicotyledonary 
development is characteristic only of those species which 
have normal persistent cotyledons. It is also to be noticed 
that in all these cases the primary epicotyledonary axis, i.e ., 
axis between cotyledonary node and first epicotyl leaf, is very 
short, and that the first two leaves on this axis never form 
an opposite pair, but are always arranged alternately, and are 
speedily followed by many others disposed in a similar 
way. 
The majority of our Ceylon Diospyros species exhibit a 
curious mode of development, and a detailed account of 
seedlings of D. quæsita is now given, commencing at the stage 
of the strongly arched hypocotyl, when the testa, endosperm, 
and cotyledons are still connected with the hypocotyl and 
partially covered with soil. At this stage the testa splits near 
the micropyle, and the gap thus formed gradually extends 
along each side of the seed to a distance of about 1 cm. 
The chalazal end and often the greater part of the seed is 
still below the surface of the soil. In consequence of the 
strain set up by the rapidly growing hypocotyl the sessile 
cotyledons now become detached and the hypocotyl frees 
itself from the confines of the seed, carrying the enhanced 
epicotyledonary leaves at its apex. The cotyledons are left 
behind surrounded by the bulky endosperm, and from the 
moment of their detachment the young seedling receives no 
further nutritive substances from the endosperm. At this 
stage there is a large quantity of endosperm, and this, together 
with the whole of the reserve materials contained in the 
parenchyma of the cotyledons, is wasted. In consequence of 
the detachment of the cotyledons and the enhanced develop¬ 
ment of the epicotyledonary leaves a large number of the 
seedlings die. This is brought about by the ^death and 
decomposition of the cells of the detached cotyledons and 
the endosperm, which in time leads to a diseased condition 
of the apex of the epicotyledonary axis. It is therefore 
highly desirable to apply artificial pressure and crack the 
