134 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



XV. 



THE MEDLAR, APPLE, AND QUINCE: 

 REMARKS ON THE STRUCTURE OF 

 THEIR FRUIT, 



BY THOMAS KING. 



[Read 24th November, 1S84.] 



The Medlar. — The structure of the Medlar is not 

 only curious in itself, but helps to explain the 

 formation of other fruits of the Apple kind. 



I do not intend to examine these fruits in detail, 

 but shall confine myself to this one point — how 

 much of each consists of carpels? 



The most remarkable feature about the general 

 appearance of the Medlar is that it seems incomplete 

 at the top end, as if a part had been cut off. This 

 top is, however, not quite flat, but shows at the cir- 

 cumference the five sepals, and within these, reaching 

 to the centre, five rounded swellings arranged in a 

 circle. These are the carpels. 



A longitudinal section shows the structure more 

 clearly. The outer, fleshy part of the fruit consists 

 of a hollow receptacle, or, in other words, of the top 

 of the fruit-stalk widened out into a cup. Into this 

 cup the five carpels are inserted ; and, as the recep- 

 tacle does not close over them completely, their 

 ends are left exposed. 



That the explanation just given is sound, may be 

 supported in this way. Take a Medlar fit for eating, 

 i.e., in a state of decay. Peel off the skin carefully^ 

 after which the receptacular part may next be peeled 

 off, leaving a central mass consisting of the five 



