The Journal of Indian Botany/Volume 1/September 1919/An investigation of the Seeding Structure in the Leguminoseae
Seedling Structure.
Compton, R. H. An investigation of the Seeding Structure in the Leguminoseae. Jour. Linn. Soc. (Botany XLI No. 279, pp. 1—129 (June 1919.)
A description with illustrative figures is given of the distribution of the xylem and phloem in seedings of species taken from all sections of the order. It would be impossible in a brief note such as this to summarise or even indicate the facts and ideas which the author gives; but it is clear that there is considerable variation in the amount and arrangement of the xylem elements in the root from a solid tetrarc core, to a ring of eight separate Y-shaped masses (as seen in section.) Those interested would do well to read the paper. But two conclusions may be given here—one that the size of the seeds is correlated with the habit of the plant, trees having much heavier seeds than herbs or shrubs ; the other that as with Angiosperms in general the tree habit is primitive, the herbaceous derived. As to whether the epigeal or the hypogeal mode of germination is the more primitive it is impossible to say. Both occur sometimes in the same genus, and the change from one to the other has probably occurred repeatedly in the evolution of the order.
P. F. F.