The Libriform Fibers in the Roots and Crown of Medicago and Melilotus

The libriform fibers, long known to be especially prominent in many of the Leguminsoae, particularly the papilionaceae, constitute a large part of the xylem and are present in the phloem of the roots and crowns of the alfalfas and sweet clovers. They deserve mentioning in these legumes because the modifications they undergo at different periods in the plant\u27s growth cycle indicate that they function as storage structures, and have an importance relative to the nutrition of the plant