Fossil plants, Vol. 1 : $b [A text-book] for students of botany and geologySeward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Science
Fossil plants, Vol. 1 : $b [A text-book] for students of botany and geology
Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Paleobotany
In fig. 39, A, a sketch is given of a thin transverse section of a
stem, drawn natural size. The lines of growth are clearly seen, and
as in coniferous stems the breadth of the concentric zones varies
considerably. The short lines traversing the tissues in a radial
direction represent the medullary-ray-like spaces referred to in the
specific diagnosis. A transverse section examined under a low-power
objective presents the appearance of a number of thick-walled and
comparatively wide tubes loosely arranged; they may be in contact or
separated from one another. If the microscope be carefully focussed
through the thickness of the section the transversely-cut tubes appear
to move laterally, producing a curiously dazzling effect if the
objective is raised or lowered rapidly. This lateral movement is due
to the undulating vertical course of the tubes. Under a higher power
the lighter-coloured matrix in which the tubes are embedded shows a
number of very much smaller and thinner-walled hyphal elements; some
of these are cut across transversely, others more or less obliquely
and others again longitudinally. These smaller tubes constitute an
irregular plexus surrounding and ramifying between the larger elements.
The diameter of the larger tubes decreases for a certain distance in
a radial direction as seen in a transverse section, and this change
in size gives rise to the appearance of concentric lines indicating
periodic changes in growth.
[Illustration: FIG. 39. _Nematophycus Logani_ (Daws.). A. Part of a
transverse section from a specimen in the British Museum. (Nat.
size.) B. Transverse section from specimens in Mr Barber’s
possession. C. Longitudinal section. (B and C × 160.) D. Transverse
section showing a radial space. E. Transverse section; a few
‘cells’ more highly magnified. D and E from a specimen in the
British Museum.]
The radial spaces are characterised by the partial absence of the
larger tubes, and as seen in longitudinal sections these spaces
constitute regions in which the smaller tubes branch very freely. Fig.
39, B, represents a small piece of a transverse section seen under a
fairly high power. In fig. 39, C, the tubes are seen in longitudinal
section. The larger elements are unseptate and not very regular in
their vertical course through the stem; the smaller elements are
seen as fine tubes lying between and across the larger tubes. In the
sections I have examined no undoubted transverse septa were detected in
any of the tubular elements.
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