CH. XIV] CHERRY. 191 



one of the ovules survives as a rule, but not infrequently 

 both the ovules develop into seeds, when the stone 

 contains a double kernel. As the ovary swells into the 

 fruit, the style drops off, and the rest of the flower 

 withers and falls away, leaving nothing but the green 

 unripe cherry at the extremity of the flower-stalk. In 

 this condition the noticeable external characters are the 

 scar at the free end of the fruit where the style grew, and 

 a longitudinal groove along one side, representing the 

 suture, or united edges of the carpellary leaf. 



Fig. 92 represents a ripe cherry divided longitudinally 

 in the line of the suture just described. In the centre 



FIG. 92. 



THE RIPE FRUIT OF THE CHERRY, 



longitudinally divided. 



C, the vascular bundles running from the stalk to the seed. 

 EN, the stone. ME, the flesh. 



The skin of the cherry, the flesh and the stone are developed from the 

 ovary-wall. 



From Le Maout and Decaisne. 



is seen one of the large cotyledons of the embryo, and 

 at its upper end the minute radicle projects: surrounding 

 the embryo is a membranous covering (the seed coat), and 

 from the left side at the upper end of the seed is seen the 

 delicate funicle by which the seed is attached to the wall 



