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Dec 24' 80

Commelina cœlestis

When seeds germinate — Cots (?) projects first— tipped with radicle hardly as long viz about   mm. The end of Cot a little enlarged & surrounded by frill from which root hairs project — when radicle longer than projecting part of Cot. hairs grow on all sides except tip. But radicle & cots seem geotropic when light excluded — Much albumen within seed-coats—

(When Cot projects only 1/2 mm. radicle only about 1/4 mm long

When Cot first projects it is knobbed at end & about 1/2 mm long, & at end of knob slight prominence which is future radicle.)

Another Cot projected 2. mm. with radicle represented by co slight cone at end with no hairs

(24th 11˚ 5' a.m several seeds with cots & radicles already bent geotropically now turned upwards, & now to see if both become geotropic.

24 (The 2 seed between 2 Pins so young, no radicle (see last paragraph.) & the Cot. now pointing to zenith.)

(26th 11˚ a.m still so pointing.)

(Dissected embryo out of seed Cot. bent rectangularly — radicle twice as long — Frill above like petals above the 2 united ― Upper end of embryo — smooth, flattened knob— I suppose embryo & absorbing surface.)

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Dec. 25 11˚ a.m can perceive no change in curvature of inverted Cots. — (Commelina coelestis)

(11˚ A.m pinned 4 seeds with protruded Cots & no radicles either horizontal or a little inclined upwards to see if Cot. is geotropic whilst young. —

26 11˚ a.m in 2 above some evidence of geotropism.

(27th one Cot. is rectangularly geotropic.)

([viz] protruded Cot at base is hollow, including another cylindrical organ, no doubt first true leaf — upper part of Cot. solid end, with flattened knob of embryo — (or strictly of Cot.) is smooth, but with high power consists of rounded projecting cells, which no doubt absorb— in middle group of spiral vessels. —

At very base where Cot. joins to summit of radicle, the internal cylinder is seen to be a folded leaf

At ba summit of radicle there are six thin cellular expansions in shape like petal of flower & those gives rise to many root-hairs

25 12˚ 45' planted seeds & just germinated seeds beneath ground to see if under those circumstances Cots. grow to gr length

(26'. 4˚ 30' P.m shorter Cot. with no radicle between 2 near pins a few particles of earth on conical summit with saliva.)

Dec. 27 3/4 of seeds pinned to cork lid have formed radicle without tip of Cot having touched any object

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[Archival note in the microfilm sequence:] PUBLISHER'S NOTE Folio(s) 62 are missing but there is no break in the material.

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Dec 27'

[sketch] — Frill ought to be tried in Permanganate of Potassium. —

Cot. b incurved most rapidly & is bent int acute angle — (whether seeds free or buried) — The upright basal part in which in connection with the radicle, embraces plumule (leaf within leaf) greenish— The distal part of Cot. is empty. — The bent cot is clearly apogeotropic —

The odd feature is the cohesion where of inner sides where Cot. bent. & which there form solid protuberance for penetrating the ground — but not thickened externally — The plumule extend up to apex of this protuberance. — Tip of Cot. still forming a knob.

Dec. 28' The arched or acutely bent Cot projects only about 5. mm. when folded plumule, greenish, bent a little laterally from summit. — The degree of adhesion or confluence of the ascending or descending parts of Cot. extremely variable, sometimes confluent for nearly whole length — sometimes quite free in latter case little different from Cot. of Onion.

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It is curious that to the Cotyledon never become green & the distal part f serves slowly solely to convey nutriments from the seed to the seedlings

Jan 11' The Cots in Greenhouse have become pale green. — In seedling with 2 leaves seed-coats almost empty with knob within still white: I doubt whether knob can ever escape from the seed-coats:) no sign of tube in radicle — but base of Cot. looks a little thickened: see to this. —

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(Curious point— flaps on summit of radicle — occasional confluence of the arch of cotyledon — & [illeg] knob at end of Cot. enclosed within seeds — Also the fact of Cot. projecting before radicle developed —

Is this end of Cot. geotropic, — I doubt. —

The lifting up seed above ground.

Uncover the buried seeds.

Dec. 31. From growth of basal leg of arched Cot. the leg bearing the seed is often or generally drawn up short distance above level of ground & thus exposed to view & chance of injury, but I do not think this account for formation of tubes beneath ground, & the exsertion of Cot. from seeds coats so slight that the burying is not thus aided — Perhaps tubes not formed very early in life. —)

Jan 22d 1881. — The distal & dependent end of Cot. with seed attached & lifted above ground is now in many cases become brownish— in others has withered quite away & dropped off, but the absorbent knob is still

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within seed-coats & certainly can never escape (all the contents of seeds absorbed. —

Jan. 27th Examined seedling which in 22d had upper part of Cot. with seed slightly brown, now perfectly withered & as thin as hair — root not as yet at all tuberose — so no connection between tube & short protrusion of Cot.