The Anatomy of Vegetables Begun / With a General Account of Vegetation founded thereon

by Nehemiah Grew

As the inner Body is branched out in the Lobes, so is it in the Plume: For if you cut the Plume athwart, and from the Basis proceed along the Body thereof, you’l find therein, first, one large Trunk or Branch, and after four or five very small Specks round about it, which are the terminations of so many lesser Branches therewith distributed to the several parts of the Plume. [See Fig. 4.] The distribution of the inner Body, as it is continuous throughout all the Organical Parts of the Bean, is represented by [Fig. 2].

This Inner Body is, by dissection, best observable in the Bean and great Lupine. In other larger Pulse it shows likewise some obscure Marks of it-self: But in no other Seeds, which I have observed, though of the greatest size, as of Apples, Plums, Nuts, &c. is there any clear appearance hereof, upon dissection, saving in the Radicle and Plume; the reason of which is partly from its quantity, being in most Seeds so extraordinary little; partly from its Colour, which in most Seeds, is the same with that of the Parenchyma it self, and so not distinguishable from it.

Yet in a Gourd-Seed, the whole Seminal Root, not only its Main Branches, but also the Sub-divisions and Inosculations of the lesser ones, are without any dissection, upon the separation of the Lobes, on their contiguous Flats immediatly apparent. [See Fig. 5.] And as to the existence of this Seminal Root, what Dissection cannot attain, ocular inspection in hundreds of other Seeds, even the smallest, will demonstrate; as in this Chapter shall be seen how.

In the mean time, let us only take notice, that when we say every Plant hath its Root, we reckon short, for every Plant hath really two, though not contemporary, yet successive Roots, its Original or Seminal-Root within its Seed, and its Plant-Root, which the Radicle becometh in its growth: the Parenchyma of the Seed being in some resemblance, that to the Seminal Root at first, which the Mould is to the Plant-Root afterwards; and the Seminal Root being that to the Plant-Root, which the Plant-Root is to the Trunk. For our better understanding whereof, having taken a view of the several Parts of a Bean, as far as Dissection conducts; we will next briefly enquire into the use of the said Parts, and in what manner they are the Fountain of Vegetation, and concurrent to the being of the future Plant.

The general Cause of the growth of a Bean or other Seed, is Fermentation; that is, the Bean lying in the Mould, and a moderate access of some moisture, partly dissimilar, and partly congenerous, being made, a gentle Fermentation thence ariseth; by which the Bean swelling, and the Sap still encreasing, and the Bean continuing still to swell, the work thus proceeds: as is the usual way of explicating. But that there is simply a Fermentation, and so a sufficient supply of Sap, is not enough; but that this Fermentation and the Sap wherein ’tis made, should be under a various Government by divers Parts thereto subservient, is also requisite; and as the various preparation of the Aliment in an Animal, equally necessary, the particular process of the Work according whereto, we find none undertaking to declare.

Let us look upon a Bean then, as a piece of Work so fram’d and set together, as to declare a Design for the production of a Plant, which, upon its lying in some convenient Soyl, is thus effected. First of all, the Bean being enfoulded round in its Coats, the Sap wherewith it is fed, must of necessity pass through these: By which means, it is not only in a proportionate quantity, and by due degrees; but also in a purer body; and possibly not without some Vegetable Tincture, transmitted to the Bean. Whereas, were the Bean naked, the Sap must needs be, as over-copious, so but crude and immature, as not being filtred through so fine a Cotton as the Coats be. And as they have the use of a Filtre to the transient Sap, so of a Vessel to that which is still deposited within them; being alike accommodated to the securer Fermentation hereof, as Bottles or Barrels are to Beer, or any other Fermentative Liquor.

And as the Fermentation is promoted by some Aperture in the Vessel; so have we the Foramen in the upper Coat also contrived, that if there should be need of some more aiery Particles to excite the Fermentation, through this they may obtain their Entry: Or, on the contrary, should there be any such Particles or Steams as might damp the genuine proceeding thereof, through this again they may have easy issue: being that, as a common Pasport here to the Sap, which what we call the Bung-hole of the Barrel, is to the new-tunn’d Liquor. That this Foramen is truly permeable even in old setting Beans, appears upon their being soak’d for some time in Water: For then taking them out, and crushing them a little, many small bubbles will alternately arise and break upon it.

The Sap being passed through the Coats, it next enters the Body of the Bean; yet not indiscriminately neither; but, being filtred through the Outer Coat, and fermented both in the Body and Concave of the Inner, is by mediation of the Cuticle, again more finely filtr’d, and so entereth the Parenchyma it self under a fourth Government.

Through which Part the Sap passing towards the Seminal Root, as through that which is of a more spacious content; besides the benefit it hath of a farther percolation, it will also find room enough for a more free and active fermenting and maturation herein. And being moreover, part of the true Body of the Bean, and so with its proper Seminalities or Tinctures copiously repleat; the Sap will not only find room, but also matter enough, by whose Energy its Fermentation will still be more advanced.

And the Sap being duly prepared here, it next passeth into all the Branches of the Seminal Root, and so under a fifth Government. Wherein how delicate ’tis now become, we may conceive by the proportion betwixt the Parenchyma and this Seminal Root; so much only of the best digested Sap being discharged from the whole Stock in that, as this will receive. And this, moreover, as the Parenchyma, with its proper Seminalities being endowed; the Sap, for the supply of the Radicle, and of the young Root from thence, is duly prepared therein, and with its highest Tincture and Impregnation at last enriched.