Ch. XIV.J F.TNN UV CLASSIFICATION OF PERICARPS. 87 



350. 1st. Valves, are the pieces, which form the sides of 

 the seed vessels. If a pericarp is formed of one piece> it is 

 univalved; the chestnut is of this kind. A pericarp with two 

 valves is said to be biralved, as a pea pod. The pericarp of the 

 Violet is trivalced, that of the Stramonium quadrivalved. 

 Most valves separate easily when the fruit is ripe ; this separa- 

 tion is .known by the term dehiscence. 



2d. Sutures or seams, are lines which show the union of 

 valves; at their seams the valves separate in the mature stage 

 of the plant. 



3d. Partitions or dissepiments , are internal membranes 

 which divide the pericarp into different cells; these are longi- 

 tudinal when they extend from the base to the summit of the 

 pericarp ; they are transverse when they extend from one side 

 to the other. 



351. Column or columella, the axis of the fruit ; this is the 

 central point of union of the partitions of the seed vessels ; it 

 may be seen distinctly in the core of an apple. This was 

 noticed under the head of receptacles ; it is the receptacle of tht 

 fruit. 



352. 4th. Cells, are divisions made by the dissepiments 

 and contain the seeds ; their number is seldom variable in tht 

 same genus of plants, and therefore serves as an important 

 generic distinction. 



353. 5th. Receptacle, is that part of the pericarp to which 

 f he seed remains attached until its perfect maturity ; this organ, 

 by means of connecting fibres, conveys to the seed for its nour- 

 ishment, juices elaborated by the pericarp. 



354. Some plants are destitute of a pericarp, as in the labi 

 ate flowers, the compound flowers, and the grasses; in these 

 cases the seeds lie in the bottom of the calyx, which periorms 

 the office of a pericarp. 



Linnceus' Classification of Pericarps. 



355. Linnecus divided pericarps into the nine following 

 classes ; Capsule, Silique, Legume, Follicle, Drupe, Nut, 

 Pome, Bei~ry, and Strobilum. 



356. CAPSULE, signifies a little chest or casket ; that is a 



350. Describe each of these parts. 



351. What is the column'? 



352. What are cells 1 



353. What is the receptacle 1 



354. Are any plants destitute of a pericarp'? 



355. What is Linnaeus' division of pericarps'? 

 350. What is a capsule? 



