60 SPECIES OF GERANIUM. [CHAP. 



chamber opens on its inner side. You will, therefore, 

 naturally observe to me that when the carpel bursts 

 outwards, the only effect would be that the seed 

 would be forced against the outer wall of the carpel, 

 and that it would not be ejected, because the opening 

 is not on the outer but on the inner side. This 

 remark is perfectly just, but the difficulty has been 

 foreseen by our Geraniums, and is overcome by them 

 in different ways. In some species, as for instance 

 in Geranium dissectum, a short time before the 

 dehiscence, the seed-chamber places itself at right 

 angles to the pillar (Fig. 42, a). The edges then 

 separate, but they are provided with a fringe of hairs, 

 just strong enough to retain the seed in its position, 

 yet sufficiently elastic to allow it to escape when the 

 carpels burst away, remaining attached, however, to 

 the central pillar by their upper ends (Fig. 42, c). 



In the common Herb Robert (Fig. 43), and some 

 other species, the arrangement is somewhat different. 

 In the first place the whole carpel springs away (Fig. 

 43, b and c}. The seed-chamber (Fig. 43, c] detaches 

 itself from the rod of the carpel (Fig. 43, b}, and when 

 the seed is flung away remains attached to it. Under 

 these circumstances it is unnecessary for the chamber 

 to raise itself from the central pillar, to which accord- 

 ingly it remains close until the moment of disruption 

 (Fig. 41, e). The seed-chamber is moreover held in 

 place by a short tongue which projects a little way 

 over its base ; while, on the other hand, the lower end 

 of the rod passes for a short distance between the 

 seed-capsule and the central pillar. The seed-capsule 

 has also near its apex a curious tuft of silky hair 



