FRUIT AND SEED 
Pl. IV, fig. 13 shows a cluster of mature fruits, and, as may be 
seen, the form varies somewhat, but is always bluntly pointed at 
the apex, with a one-sided base, the whole being slightly oblique 
with respect to the axis of the stipe. At the maturity of the fruit, 
the stigma generally drops off, leaving the blunt apex shown in the 
figure. 

Figure 30.—Section through ovary wall Figure 31.—Two ripe achenes, 
of ripe fruit, showing the three inner- after disintegration of the outer 
most hardened layers, which form the soft parts of the fruit covering ; 
covering of the seed, and the outer showing the pronounced beaks. 
soft parts. >< 210. SSpabe 
During the development of the seed, changes occur in the wall 
of the ovary, the most important of which is the thickening of the cell- 
walls of portions contiguous to the seed, with the result that this 
inner layer of the ovary-wall becomes quite hard. This hardened 
portion is limited to about three layers of cells. Outside of this 
hard layer are about five or six layers of thin-walled cells, copiously 
supplied with starch, and these, in turn, are bounded by the epi- 
dermis, also rich in starch (Text-fig. 30). 
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