8 



DRY AND FLESHY FRUITS 



[CH. 



styles or stigmas, or the scars whence they fell off; or it 

 will show the remains of stamens, petals, sepals, &c. : 

 while sections through and across the longitudinal axis 

 give the clues as to positions, numbers, and separation or 

 union of the carpels, and their relations to the axis, which 

 decide the points in question. As in all cases the real 

 starting point is to know what kind of questions to ask 

 Nature, and how to proceed to obtain the answers. 



One very evident feature in fruits of all kinds is their 

 consistency. Many fruits are dry when ripe e.g. Poppy, 

 Pea (Fig. 5), acorn, Wheat, &c.; whereas it is equally strik- 

 ing that others e.g. Plum, Apple, Gooseberry, Grape, &c. 

 are fleshy or succulent, and a very useful character in distin- 

 guishing and describing the various kinds is thus afforded. 

 Moreover, we notice that whereas fleshy fruits do not open 

 in any definite manner to allow the seeds to escape, dry 



Fig. 5. Pea, dehiscent fruit, a legume (Le M). 



fruits often do so open, or dehisce. For instance those of 

 the Pea and Poppy obviously dehisce, the former by 

 splitting down the back and front, the latter by pores 



