The anatomy of plants with an idea of a philosophical history of plants, and several other lectures, read before the royal society / by Nehemjah Grew ...

CHAP. V. Of the BUDS of Seeds. And of the PARTS, of which these, the Radicle, and Lobes are compounded.

FROM between the two Lobes, rises up the Stalk of the Plant. The original whereof, either to the naked Eye, or by a good Glass, is always visible in the Seed.

2. §. In many Plants, Nature sees fit only to lay the foundation hereof in a small round Node; where upon the Leavs, in the Vegetation of the Seed, are superstructed: as in Viola Lunaria, and others.

3. §. But in the greater number of Seeds, is formed a true Bud, consisting of perfect Leavs; different from those, which grow upon the Stalk, only in Bigness; and so far in Shape, as the same Parts of an Animal Foetus, in its several ages in the Womb. In many Seeds, as well

small as great, and as well of Herbs as Trees, it is very apparent. But oftentimes lyeth so deep between the Lobes as to be almost undiscerna∣ble, as in Maple.

4. §. The Leaves of the Bud, in different Plants, are of a different Number; in some, Two; in others, Four, Six, and sometimes more. In the Bay-Berry, they are only two; very small, but thick or fat, and finely veined.* 1.1 In the Seed of Card••••s Benedictus, they are also Two; almost invisible; broad at the Bottom, poynted at the Top, thick or fat, yet plated inward, and postured a little distant one from the other; for the two next to rise up betwen them. The like may be seen in Carthamum; and so, I suppose, in all the Carduus Kind.

5. §. In some Herbs, although the Bud consisteth but of two per∣fect Leaves,* 1.2 yet they are very conspicuous. Not only in larger Seeds, as in the Phaseolus or French Bean; but in those which are small, as in the Seed of Hemp. In this, the two Leaves are both plated, and so set Edge to Edge, with mutual Undulations. Of that Length, as to be extended beyond a third part of the Lobes.

6. §. In the Seed of Sena,* 1.3 the Bud consisteth of Four Leaves; of which, the greater pair is the outer, and guards the less. Shaped not much unlike those in the Seed of Carduus; but are a little more vi∣sible.

7. §. In the Bud of an Almond, we may easily count six, or eight Leaves,* 1.4 and sometimes more; the Inermost being laid bare by a dexterous Separation of the Outer. These are by much the greatest, doubled In∣ward, and so laped one over another; whereby they embosome all the rest, as a Hen spreads her Wings over her Chickens. The like is ob∣servable in many other large Kernels, as also in the Garden Bean, and some other Plants. With respect to which, I have taken leavea 1.5 to call this Part the Plume.

8. §. THE LOBES of the Seed, and so likewise the Radicle and Bud consist of a Skin, Parenchyma, and Branched Vessels: all which I have formerly described.b 1.6 I shall now add the following Re∣marques.

9. §. And first of the Skin, which in some Seeds, as the French-Bean may easily be separated from the Parenchyma: especially if the Bean be soaked in water for some days; for then it will slip off, like the Skin in any part of ones Body where it is blistered. 'Tis woven into Bladders,* 1.7 as the Parenchyma; but into smaller ones, and upon the Lobes of a Garden Bean, all radiated towards the Center. With these Bladders, there are also mixed a sort of Lignous Fibres, incom∣parably small, which give a Toughness to the Skin, and by which the Bladders are directed into Rays.

10. §. The Bladders of the Parenchyma, as is said, are much larger than those of the Skin, especially in the Lobes. In those of a Garden Bean,* 1.8 somewhat oval, about 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of an Inch Diametre by their Bredth, and directed towards the Branches of the Seminal Root. In the Radi∣cle, they are twenty times smaller, than in the Lobes: and so in the Plume.

11. §. Throughout the Parenchyma run the Branched Vessels,* 1.9 which in the Lobes make the Seminal Root; in the Radicle and Plume, the Wood of the Root and Stalk. In all of them, distributed as hath beenc 1.10 formerly shewed.

12. §. I shall here further note, That the utmost divisions are no where extended to the Circumference of the Lobes,* 1.11 but are all inos∣culated together at a considerable distance from it, as in the Leaves of some Plants.

13. §. In the Lobes they all meet in one solid Nerve. But in the Radicle, are dilated into a hollow Trunk, filled up with a Pith; com∣posed of Bladders somewhat bigger than those which make,* 1.12 as it were, the Barque of the Radicle. In the Radicle of a French Bean, the Pith is very conspicuous.

14. §. The Vessels are of two kinds, as in the other Parts of a Plant; for Sap, and for Aer. Not running collateral, as Arteries and Veins; but the latter every where sheathed in the former. From the Aer-Vessels it is, that if a Bean be steeped in water, and then the Ra∣dicle cut transversly and pressed, it will yield Bubles as well as Liquor. These Vessels are admirably small, yet through a very good Glass be∣come visible.* 1.13

15. §. The Liquor conteined in the Seed, when full ripe is chiefly Oyl; generally, found in a greater proportion here, than in any other part of a Plant. Being as the Pickle, in which the Seminal Virtues, i. e. the more volatile and active Principles of the Seed, are immersed for their Preservation: and to curb them from too great a Luxuriance in the Vegetation of the Seed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tab. 78.
• * 1.2

  Tab. 78.
• * 1.3

  Tab. 78.
• * 1.4

  Tab. 78.
• a 1.5

  B. 1. Ch. 1.
• b 1.6

  B. 1. Ch. 1.
• * 1.7

  Tab. 79.
• * 1.8

  Tab. 79.
• * 1.9

  Tab. 79.
• c 1.10

  B. 1. Ch. 1.
• * 1.11

  Tab. 79.
• * 1.12

  Tab. 79.
• * 1.13

  Tab. 79.