The Correlation in Shape and Size Between Epidermal and Subepidermal Cells

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Abstract
Because of the geometric control of cell shapes in plants, the previously reported avg. of 9.33 facets per epidermal cell resting on subepidermal cells of 3 times their area, in the cucumber, and 9.66 facets per epidermal cell resting on subepidermal cells of 3 times their area, in Tradescantia, appeared as a discrepancy in need of explanation. The 9.66 avg., which accords with the geometrical formula whereby epidermal cells primarily avg. 11 facets and internal cells 14 facets, has been verified. The epidermal cells of the cucumber, revised as having an avg. of 9.5 facets, remain a deviation which depends on the occurrence of epidermal cells with single-faceted, bases. For epidermal cells 1/3 the area of the cells beneath, the presence of those with single-faceted bases in the proportion of 1 in 6 would account for a reduction in the avg. epidermal facets from 9.66 to 9.5.