280 



Transactions of the Society. 



seed goes first, and then the others in regular sequence. The 

 second carpel does not begin until the first has discharged all its 

 seeds. 



It is remarkable that among the violets the sweet, coloured 

 flowers rarely develop seed, most of which are produced by the 

 " cleistogamous " apetalous flowers. 



Fig. 71. — Viola comma, a, bud of cleistogamous flower ; 

 b, older bud ; c, capsule open. 



Caryophylle^e (the Pink Family). — The capsules are mem- 

 branous or crustaceous; rarely berried (Cucubalus). The capsules 

 open with a number of teeth equal to or double that of the styles. 

 The seeds are numerous, or reduced by abortion. The seeds are 

 always more or less flattened, but in some cases this takes place 

 dorsally (Dianthus, Tunica), in others laterally. In Dianthus the 

 hilum is situated about the middle of the ventral face, so that the 

 seed is peltate. In this genus and in Tunica the embryo is straight ; 

 in the other genera it is curved, though sometimes only slightly. 

 The surface is generally finely rugose, but sometimes papillose or 

 smooth. In Silenc edpestris and S. quadrifida they are quite long, 

 and the colour is either black or brown. Some few (Spergida 

 arvensis, Spergularia marina) are described in English specimens 

 as winged. This, however, is not the case in all localities. On 

 the Continent the variety S. heterosperma is described as having 

 some seeds winged and others not. 



At maturity the capsules open at the top, and when the stem 



