146 SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWERING PLANTS. 



will account for the anchor-like appearance (VII.) ^ and 

 the seeds pointing inwards. The next thing is for the 

 inner tissues of the carpels to become thick and 

 succulent, and so completely embed the seeds ; and we 

 get the solid cucumber. In melons and gourds a 

 cavity is often left in the middle. As the calyx, etc., 

 are situate on the top of the ovary, this is, of course, 

 really invested by the receptacular tube, which goes to 

 form a certain amount of the fruit. 



Zehne'ria.— This is a perennial climber with simple 

 thread-like tendrils. The flowers are small and white, 

 the calyx is bell- shaped with five minute teeth, the corolla 

 having five divisions. There are only three stamens, 

 the anthers having a large, round, and hairy coii- 

 ncctivc; the anther-cells are nearly straight, and not 

 sinuate. The fruit of the female forms a small globular 

 berry. 



As the calyx, etc., fall off, the fruit looks as if it 

 were superior, but it is really inferior, as will be at 

 once seen from the flower of the Melon. 



Now let us examine a tendril. It resembles in 

 form that of a Passion-flower. If either be carefully 

 watched, they will be found to move round and around, 

 taking several hours to complete a circle. This is 

 called circummdatioii, a word meaning *' bowing around." 



' In the diagram i\iQ first ingrowth from the circumference to the 

 centre is omitted. The three radiating lines represent the coherent 

 edges on the return journey to the circumference. 



