FRUIT, 



At B is the spadix divested of the spatha; a is the clavi- 

 form summit ; b a ring of filaments without anthers ; c a ring 

 of sessile anthers ; d a dense ring of pistillate flowers with ses- 

 sile stigmas ; each germ produces a one-celled globular berry. 

 This plant is of the class Moncecia because its staminate and 

 pistillate flowers are separate, but yet grow on the same plant ; 

 it is in the order Polyandria, because its stamens are nu- 

 merous. 



Receptacle. 



The receptacle is the extremity of the peduncle ; at first it 

 supports the flower, and afterwards the fruit. As this is its on- 

 ly use, it may properly be considered in connexion with the 

 organs of fructification. In simple flowers, as the tujip, the 

 receptacle is scarcely to be distinguished from the peduncle, 

 but in compound flowers it is expanded and furnishes a sup- 

 port for the flowers and fruit. Receptacles are of various 

 kinds; as, 



1st. Proper, supports but one flower, as in the violet and 

 lily. 



2d. Common, supports many flowers or florets, the assem- 

 blage of which forms an aggregate or compound flower, as in 

 the sunflower and dandelion. The common receptacle pre- 

 sents a great variety of forms ; it is either dry or pulpy : it is 

 concave in the artichoke ; convex, in other plants ; flat, in the 

 sunflower, conical in some, and spherical in others. As to its 

 surface, it is punctate, or interspersed with hollow points or 

 dot'fi, as in the daisy, hairy as in the thistle, naked as in the 

 dandelion, or chaffy as in the chamomile. 



3d. Rachis, is the filiform receptacle which connects the flo- 

 rets in a spike, as in the heads of wheat. 



The Fruit. 



The fruit is composed of two principal parts, the pericarp 

 and seed. The term pericarp is derived from peri around, and 

 karpos seed or fruit ; it signifies surrounding the seed. All 

 that in any fruit which is not the seed belongs to the pericarp. 



Let us now inquire into the progress of the fruit from its first 

 appearance in the germ to its mature state. When you ana- 

 lyze a flower, you often find it necessary to ascertain the num- 

 ber of cells contained in the germ. In making this examina- 

 tion what appearance did the interior of the germ present, when 

 exposed' by cutting it horizontally'? You saw there minute 

 bodies of a pale green colour, and an apparently homogeneous 



Receptacle Different kinds of receptacles Fruit, the two principal parts 

 Derivation and signification of the word pericarp Progress of the fruit con- 

 sidered. 



10* 



