ON THE STRUCTURE OF CRUCIFEROUS FLOWERS. 15 
In the genus Zétracellion, Turczan. where the capsule has as- 
sumed the normal tetramerous type, the fruit is nearly that of a 
poppy, the chief difference consisting in the spurious dissepiments 
which in this curious genus do not reach the axis. The dehiscence 
of Tetracellion is precisely the same as that of the Argemone Mezi- 
cana. The stigma is depressed in the middle, and it is not diffi- 
cult to detach the ovarian leaves, so that each is surmounted by the 
portion of the collective stigma which belongs to it.* Another 
analogy fully confirms our opinion. On examining the gynœceum 
of Eschoetzia Californica, which has four stigmata, we find that 
each pair surmounts an ovarian leaf; if we imagine each separate 
stigma of each pair to be united with its neighbour of the opposite 
pair, we obtain the two spurious stigmata of the greater part of 
Cruciferae. 
If we call Teratology to our aid, we shall find that in all cases, 
where through monstrosity the pistil becomes foliaceous, the ovules 
are placed at the margin of the leaf; and, if the stigma is formed, 
it is dicephalous and placed at the summit.t 
The normal fruit of the Cruciferæ is therefore composed of four 
carpidia disposed crossways: the placentæ and the stigmata of each 
are united, and they are divided from each other more or less by 
spurious dissepiments : each of them opens when ripe by a valve 
which separates itself marginally and longitudinally from the pla- 
centæ, which, together with the dissepiment and surmounted by 
the stigma, persist in the greater number of species: two of the — E 
carpidia are constantly abortive. 
longations of the valves whereof they form part, and with which they fall off when 
the fruit is ripe, leaving the true stigmata attached to the placenta. 
* One of us has found flowers of Iberis with 4 folioles to. the calyx, 4 petals, 4 
stamens, and 3 or 4 carpels, forming a real pelorium. Professors Seringe and Alph. 
de Candolle have met with 4 carpels, the first in Diplotaxis. tenuifolia, the second in 
detenti and. Cheiranthus Cheiri.— Monstr. Vég. p. 13 and 14,t.5. fig. 8. 
T See foc de Antholyz. t. 4, fig. 4, 5, 16, m usi in Linnea, 
vol. p. 599 t. 9.—Alph. D. C. Monstr. Vég. t. 5,f.8. | 
