v:ap.>t:i,t:. 53 



the oak, chestnut, some of the grasses, &c., it is chiefly or entirely deposited in the 

 seed. 



-' FIG. 16. — Modes of dehiscence ; 1 , Locu.icidal ; 2, Septicidal ; 3, Septifragal. The straight 

 /Ihies represent the dissepiments. 



r. 



115. Dehiscence. Wlien the pencarii has anived at maturity, 

 it either remains permanently ®losed (indehiscent) as the acorn, 

 or it separates into parts forming openings. Tliese parts are 

 called valvesARnd these openings, the dehiscence. Eegular de- 

 hiscence is always vertical, and is called, 



1. Loculicidal [locidus, a cell, ccedo, to cut), when it take.s 

 place by the opening of the dorsal suture of each carpel directly 

 into the cell. Ex. lily.- 



2. Septicidal [septum, a wall, and ccedo), when it takes place 

 through the dissepiments (wMch are doubled, k S5, c). Ex. 

 mallows. 



3. Septifragal [septum, and frango, to break), Avhen the valves 

 separate from the dissepiments, wliich remain still united in the 

 axis. Ex. Convolvulus. 



4. Sutural (siitura, a seam), when it takes place at one or 

 both sutiu'es, in a fruit with a simple carpel. Ex. pea. 



5. An irregular dehiscence, called circumscissile {circumscindo, 

 to cut around), occurs in the plantain, verbena, henbane, &c., 

 where the top of tiie pericarp falls off like a lid.^ (Fig. 18; 16.) 



116. The forms of the pericaiiJ are exceedingly diversified, and have been 

 studied by botanists ^vith great attention. The following varieties are generally 

 described in elementary works. 



1. Capsule (a casket), is a term applied to those pericarps 

 which are of a hard and Avoody texture, proceeding from a com- 

 pound ovary, dehiscing at the side or top, by valves, or some- 

 times by pores only. 



a. The capsule consists of only one cell, or is divided within 



