282 Transactions of the Society. 



in the attitude so common to them. Many small caterpillars also 

 are covered with long hairs, and would thus be mimicked by the 

 hairy capsules (fig. 72). The resemblance is so striking that it can 

 hardly be accidental, and I have suggested elsewhere that birds 

 pick up the carpels taking them for insects, and carry them, with 

 the seeds in them, some little distance before finding out their 

 mistake. 



Celastrine^e. — Of this order we have only a single species, 

 Euonymus europosus, the Spindle. As in so many other small trees, 

 the fruit is arranged to attract birds. It is a 4-celled and lobed 

 capsular fruit, more or less tinged with red. Each cell contains 

 1-2 seeds, which are rather large and completely covered by a 

 brilliant orange or red " arillode." When the carpels burst open, 

 which occurs on the dorsal suture, the seeds drop, and hang sus- 

 pended by a long stalk. It is one of the comparatively few plants 

 in which the embryo early assumes a green colour. 



Tiliace^e. — In this family the fruit consists of 2-10 cells, or 

 it is 1 -celled by suppression or many-celled by false septa, or 

 a drupe, or (rarely) a berry. The construction is therefore very 

 various. 



In our only species, the Lime, it is a small globular nut con- 

 taining one or two seeds. In many trees (Sycamore, Maple, Elm, 

 Hornbeam, Pine, Eir, etc.) the seeds are disseminated by means of 

 wings, which, though they serve the same purpose, are of very 

 different origin. In the Lime the peduncle of the fruit is 

 bordered or winged halfway up by a long narrow leaf-like bract. 



The seedling is very unusual. It is palmate, consisting of five 

 lobes, the central one being the longest. This peculiar form 

 enables it to lie in the hollow of the seed, just occupying the con- 

 cavity of the cup. 



LinetE. — The fruit is a septicidal capsule, consisting of five 

 carpels. The seeds are much compressed laterally, and the main 

 point which 1 would notice in connection with the present Address 

 is that if the seeds are moistened, as, for instance, by coming in 

 contact with damp ground, they develop a copious mucilage which 

 attaches them to the soil, and thus perhaps facilitates the exit 

 of the young plant. This property is well known to us through 

 the familiar linseed poultice. 



Geraniace.e. — In this order also the fruit presents very curious 

 and diverse structures. Our four British genera have each totally 

 different plans for the dissemination of the seed : 



Capsule separating into five 1-seeded carpels, each with a 

 long awn ; awn elastic, not twisted (Geranium) ; awn twisted 

 (Brodium). Capsule with four angles opening with as many 

 valves (Oxalis), Capsule bursting elastically in five valves which 

 roll inwards (Impatiens). 



In the Geraniums the five 1-seeded carpels are arranged round 



