VIL] NUTRITIVE ORGANS. 57 



22. Placentation. 



23. Ovules. 



24. Fruit and seed. Pericarp. 



25. Suppression of cells of the ovary during maturation of the 



fruit. Changes in different layers of the pericarp. Fruit 

 of Cherry, Apple, Orange, Gooseberry. Dry syncarpous 

 fruits ; capsule, nut. Dehiscent and indehisenct fruits. 

 Achenes of Buttercup and Strawberry. Blackberry. 

 Mulberry. Fig compared with fruit of Rose. Enume- 

 ration of principal kinds of fruit. 



26. Number of seeds in the fruit. Albuminous and ex- 



albuminous seeds. 



i. T T 7E now proceed to examine some of the different 

 V V forms assumed by the Vegetative, or, as we pre- 

 viously termed them, the Nutritive, organs of plants 

 viz., the Root, Stem, and Leaves. Also, so far as pre- 

 vious chapters leave it needful, the general character of 

 the Reproductive organs, and especially the structure of 

 the fruit. 



In order to avoid ambiguity we shall find it necessary 

 to employ not only the substantive terms used by botanists 

 to denote the several organs themselves, but also the more 

 important of the adjective terms employed to denote 

 special modifications of the same. The necessary terms 

 are very simple, and easily learned, and, with moderate 

 perseverance, facility in applying them may soon be 

 acquired. 



By carefully examining one plant every day, first filling 

 up a schedule from the flower, and then writing out a 

 description of all the organs in detail, with these lessons, 

 or Dr. Lindley's pamphlet, " Descriptive Botany," * before 

 you, very considerable progress will be made in practical 

 botany in the course of a single season. 



In this and the following chapter, devoted to the struc- 

 ture of the various organs, whenever it has appeared 

 desirable for the sake of illustration, I have named a 

 common plant, which may be referred to ; but it must 

 always be borne in mind that the organs of plants root, 

 stem, leaf, and flower are very prone to accidental varia- 

 tion, especially in minor particulars, so that occasionally 



* Bradbury and Evans, is. 



