THE FRUIT. 'i 



G. Vexillary; when one piece is much larger than the others, 

 and is folded over them, they being arranged face to face, as in 

 papilionaceous flowers. ; 



7. Induplicate ; having the margins bent abruptly inwards, 

 and the external face of tliese edges apphed to each other with- 

 out any t^visting; as in the flowers of some species of Clematis. 



8. Supervolide ; when one edge is rolled inwai'ds, and is en- 

 veloped by the opposite edge rolled in an opposite direction ; as 

 the leaves of the apricot. 



Of these forms of aestivation, the 4th, 5th, and 9th, are fre- 

 quently designated by the general term imbricate, (u\2iX is, edge 

 overlapping edge^ 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE TRUIT. 



109. The fruit appears to be the jiltimate object and aim of the whole vegetable 

 organization ; accordingly, when this is perfected, the process of vegetation ceases, 

 the foliage withers, and the whole plant, if it be an annital, soon dies.) But in the 

 fruit, provision is made for the reproduction of the species, so that it is justly 

 said to be ' the tennination of the old individual, and the beginning of the new.' 



a. The fniit is, therefore, the most important part of the plant. Although it 

 does not, like the flower, serve to adorn the face of natui'e by the beauty of its 

 foiTTi and color, yet, besides its own peculiar office of perpetuating vegetable life, 

 it affords one of the principal means of subsistence to animals and to man,' 



b. The fructification, in respect to time, is subsequent to the flower, is always 

 preceded by it, and, as has been sufficiently shown, is dependent npon it for its 

 maturity and perfection. After having imbibed the pollen fi-om the anthers, the 

 pistil, or its ovary, continues to enlarge, and is finally matured in the form of the 

 peculiar fruit of the plant.> The /ntii is, therefore, properly speaking, i/ic ovary 

 brought to perfection^ 



110. Such being the case, it follows itliat the fruit is constructed on the same 

 general plan as the ovaiyj and its structure may be inferred with much accuracy, 

 by the examination of the latter at the time of flowering. In many cases, how- 

 ever, the fniit undergoes such changes in the course of its growth fi-om the o-\-aiy, 

 as to disguise its real structm-e ; so that an eai-ly examination would be even more 

 safe in its results than a late one. 



a. For example, the oak-acorn is a fniit -with but one cell and one seed, 

 although its ovaiy had three cells and six ovules. The change is produced by 

 5* 



