270 Mr. Konig's Observations on the Durion, 



Obi. 2. I have described the fruit as containing five locula- 

 nients outwardly dehiscent at the period of maturity ; and this is 

 all I ventured to say, from what I was able to observe in the spe- 

 cimens of the fruit preserved in spirits. In these I could distin- 

 guish, at equal distances, the lines where the fruit was to gape, 

 and which divided each of the loculaments into two equal parts. 

 This naturally suggested to me the idea of a Capsula baccata, with 

 valves, two of which conjoinedly form each of the loculaments 

 (valvule medio septiferce) ; a conformation proper to the fruit of a 

 great number of Malvacece. Finding, however, that the septa which 

 separate the loculaments were too intimately connected with 

 the central or pistillar part of the fruit, and without any appear- 

 ance of division, it seemed more probable to me that no separa- 

 tion took place in the centre ; and. hence I made use of the more 

 ambiguous term Pomum, which also, according to the sense in 

 which it is taken by our great master in carpology, the late Dr. 

 Gaertner, holds in many cases a midway between capsule and 

 berry. From Rumpf's account, which corresponds with my sup- 

 position, we learn, that in order to try whether a Ditrion-fnut be 

 fit for eating, the amateurs usually tread upon it with the foot : 

 if ripe, it gives way in five places by as many natural fissures, 

 which exhibit five loculaments. 



Obs. 3. The fleshy delicate substance which fills the locula- 

 ments of this fruit, and contains, within separate lobes, the seeds, 

 I have denoted in the description by the term of aril; which may, 

 perhaps, appear objectionable on account of the unusual form and 

 size of these parts : but they accord pretty well with the notion 

 which Ave have of an aril ; for each of these lobes is an accessory 

 mtegument of a seed, with which it is grown together only at its 

 umbilical part. Our physiological insight into the nature and 

 economy of many of the parts surrounding the seeds is still too 



limited 



