XVlll RUDIMENTS OP BOTANY. 



129. When the apex of the nucleus is contiguous to the base of the 

 ovule, a connection takes place between the base of the ovule and the 

 base of the nucleus, by a bundle of vessels called a raj/lie. 



FRUIT. 



130. Fecundation having taken place, the floral envelopei usually 

 fade away, the stamens disappear and the pistil increases in size and 

 becomes the fruit. 



131. Hence the fruit should have the same structure as the pistil, 

 but this is not always the case, for as the pistil advances to maturity 

 many alterations take places, in consequence of abortion, non-deve- 

 lopemeut. obliteration or even union of parts. 



132. The base of the fruit is the part where it is joined to the pedun- 

 cle ; the apex is where the remains of the style are found. 



133. The portion of the pistil called the ovary is in the ripe fruit 

 termed the pericarp. 



134. The pericarp consists of three parts, the outer coating called 

 the cpicarj), the inner lining called the cjidocarp or putamen, and the in- 

 termediate substance named the sarcocarp or mesocarp. Sometime* 

 these three parts are readily distinguished, as in the peach ; but they 

 frequently form one uniform substance, as in the nut 



1 35. The axis of the fruit is often called columcUa ; the space where 

 two carpels unite is named the commissure. 



136. If the pericarp neither splits nor opens when ripe, it is said to 

 be indchiscent ; but if it does split or open, it is said to ddiisce, or to be 

 dehiscent ; and the pieces into which it divides are termed voices. 



137. When a fruit is in its simplest state, or formed by the trans- 

 formation of one carpellary leaf, there may be two sutures or lines by 

 which it may open, the one where the margins of the leaf or the pla- 

 centte meet, called the ventral suture, the other at the part correspond- 

 ing to the midrib of the leaf, or the dorsal suture. 



138. If, in a compound fruit, the line of opening corresponds with the 

 junction of the carpels the dehiscence is scpticidal. Formerly in this 

 kind of delu'scence the valves were said to be alternate with the dissepi- 

 ment. 



139. If the opening is by the dorsal suture of each carpel, the de- 

 luscence is locuticidal \ or as it was formerly said, die dissepiments are 

 opposite to tkt valets. 



140. When a separation of the pericarp takes place across the cells 

 horizontally, the dehiscence is transverse. 



141. If the dehiscence is effected by partial openings of the pericarp, 

 it is said to take place by pores. 



142. All fruits are either simple or multiple ; the former proceeding 

 from a single flower, as the Apple, Nut, Strawberry, &c. : the latter 

 formed out of several flowers), as the Pine-apple, Fig, &c. 



143. Simple fruits are either indchiscent or dehiscent ; of the former 

 the most important are the caryopsis, the utricle, the achenium and the 

 drupe. 



144. The caryopsis, is where the pericarp is very thin and membran- 

 ous, and adheres firmly to the integument of the seed ; Ex. Wheat 

 and Barley. 



