THE 



147 



239. Any syncarpous fruit having a dry dehiscent 

 pericarp is called a capsule. The dehiscence of syncarpous 

 or polycarpellary fruits is of several kinds. If the rupture 



takes place along the partitions the 



^^\ I ^v fruit will be split up into its original 

 / 1 \ \ carpels ; this form of dehiscence is 



I \ \ j septicidal (Fig. 203). But the 



V ^T ^^^ dehiscence may take place along the 



^^ S** ^ dorsal suture of each carpel, half- 

 way between the partitions, so that 

 the opening is into the loculus ; this 

 mode is known as loculicidal (Fig. 

 204). Or again, the valves (separate 

 pieces of the pericarp) may fall away, 

 leaving the partitions standing ; this 

 dehiscence is septifragal (Fig. 205). 



240. A long and slender capsule^ 

 having two cells separated by 

 membranous partition bearing the 



seed, and from which, when ripe, Pig. 20*. 



the valves fall away on each side, 

 is called a silique (Fig. 206). If, 

 as in Shepherd's Purse (Fig. 29), 

 the capsule is short arid broad, it is 

 called a silicle. If the capsule 

 opens horizontalfyj so that the top 

 comes off like a lid, as in Purslane 

 Fig7205. (Fig. 207), it is a, pyxis. 



241. Any dry, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit is called an 

 ochene, of which the fruit of Buttercup (Fig. 14) is an 



Figs. 203, 204, 205. Diagrams illustrating septicidal, loculicidal, and septi- 

 fragal dehiscence. 



