THE PINK FAMILY, 103 



long claw. (2) consists of the ten stamens and pistil 

 standing on an inter node (a) — or space between two 

 joints or nodes — or gynophore, as in the Caper-plant ; 

 (3) is the pistil composed of two carpels, the ovary 

 being cut open to show the ovules arising from a 

 central support. This results from the two divisions, 

 or septa, having ceased to grow at an early stage, so 

 that the column made up of the fou7^ margins com- 

 bined remains in the middle. This is called the " free, 

 central placenta." (4) is a ripe capsule, as any dry, 

 bursting fruit is called, dehiscing by four teeth at the 

 top. It remains included within the calyx and the 

 four bracts {a). (5) is a ripe seed; (6) is a seed cut 

 through vertically, showing the straight embryo ; (7) 

 is the embryo extracted. 



The embryo in other plants of this family is 

 usually coiled round the endosperm or reserve food- 

 stuff, as shown in (A, a), the seed of Chickweed. 



Sile'ne. — This genus has thirteen species in South 

 Africa. Like pinks, it has a united calyx and a gyno- 

 phore. The petals have long claws, with a limb 

 either entire, cleft, or fringed. It has, however, three 

 styles, showing that the pistil is made of three 

 carpels. A troublesome cornfield weed introduced 

 from Europe is aS^. gallica, called the " Gunpowder 

 weed " by the colonists, its black seeds resembling it. 



Agrostem'ma. — This is another introduced plant. 

 It is tall, with large purple-red flowers, and long, 



