ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION. 299 



but the fruit has only one cell and one seed, so that in the course 

 of development, five ovules and one cell have become obliterated. 

 In the Birch we have an ovary with two cells, containing one 

 ovule in each, but the fruit is one- celled and one-seeded, so that 

 here, one cell and one ovule have become obliterated. In the 

 Ash, Horse-chestnut, Elm, and many other plants, similar changes 

 are produced in the ovary by the abortion or obhteration of 

 certain parts. 



From the above examples it will be evident, that although the 

 ftniit consists essentially of the ripened pistil, yet that in the pro- 

 gress of the latter organ towards maturity, it becomes frequently 

 much altered from its original structure, so that in order to have 

 a clear idea of the nature of the fruit, it is important to ex- 

 amine that of the ovary, and trace its development up to the 

 fruit. 



General Characters or the Fruit. — The structure of the 

 fiTiit resembling in all important particulars that of the ovary, 

 the modifications which it presents, as to composition, position, 

 &c., are described by similar terms. Thus we may have simple 

 and compound fruits, as also apocarpous and syncarpous ones. 

 Simple fruits, like simple ovaries, are normally unilocular ; while 

 a compound fruit may have one or more cells, according as the 

 dissepiments are absent or present, and the number of cells 

 is indicated by similar terms to those used when speaking of 

 the compound ovary. 



The fruit, again, is described as superior or inferior, in the same 

 sense as those terms are used in speaking of the ovary. Thus 

 a fruit is inferior, when it is formed from an inferior ovary, in 

 which case the calyx necessarily enters into its composition, as 

 in the Melon, Apple, Pear, Quince, &c. ; or it is superior, as in 

 the Poppy, Pea, &c., when the ovary is superior, and the calyx 

 non-adherent. 



The base of the fruit is that point by which it is united to the 

 thalamus ; the apex is indicated by the attachment of the style, 

 lience in those ovaries where the style is lateral or basilar, 

 as in many Rosaceaa (Jigs. 623 and 624), Labiatse, and Bora- 

 ginese, the organic apex of the fruit will be also thus situated, 

 so that the geometrical and organic apices will be very dif- 

 ferent. The remains of the style frequently exist in the form 

 of a little point on the fruit, which is then commonly described 

 as apiculate. Some traces of the style may be usually ob- 

 served, by which we are enabled to distinguish small fruits from 

 seeds ; thus the fruits of the Ranunculus, those of Labiate 

 Plants, the Boraginete, Umbelliferae, &c., are thus readily distin- 

 guished from seeds. Generally speaking, the style forms but a 

 very small portion of the fniit. the greater part of it, together with 

 the stigma, dying away soon after the process of fertilization has 

 been effected; but in other cases, on the contrary, the style is not 



