FORMATION OF THE SEED «BO 
seeds, From the embryo, the root and shoot of a plant arise. 
(See Chapter I.) | 
oa We may now sum up what is called the life 
ofthe Flower- /ustory of the flowering plant—that is, the chief 
ing Plant. stages of its development from the beginning of 
its existence until it is fully grown and able to produce 
another plant like itself. 
1, Formation of the embryo by means of the union of the micro- 
spore with the macrospore—that is, the formation of the seed. 
2. Development of the embryo into root and shoot. 
3. Development of the flower—a metamorphosed shoot. 
4, Formation of pollen grains, or microspores, by stamens (sporo- 
phylls). 
Formation of macrosporangia, containing macrospores, by 
carpels (sporophylls). 
5. Pollination and fertilisation, resulting in the formation of the 
seed. 
These are the stages through which every Flowering Plant 
invariably passes in the formation of the seed. 
At the same time it must be remembered that many plants 
propagate themselves independently of seed. 
-. The endosperm may develop in very various 
Endospermor ways. In the Date it forms a hard stone, in the 
Albumen. ~~ Cocoanut a white jelly, which is quite soft and 
flaky when the Cocoanut is young, but as it solidifies becomes 
hard. Sometimes the endosperm is horny. 
Coffee, Caraway-seeds, Castor-oil, all contain endosperm. 
Where endosperm is developed the embryo is often minute, 
especially in Monocotyledons. In a date, for instance, the 
embryo may be found by cutting the stone across, through 
the little depression on the smooth side of the stone, that 
opposite the groove. When the stone is cut through there— 
and it must be done with a very strong knife—the embryo is 
found just beneath the depression, and is seen to be very small 
and white. 
Seeds and fruits, on account of the food material stored in 
them, are used as articles of food. The so-called “ coffee 
bean” is a seed consisting chiefly of endosperm; this endo- | 
