THE PROMISE OF THE PLANT THAT [IS TO BE 



493 



FIG. 618. SAMPHIRE 

 (Crithmum mariti- 



mum). 

 A cremocarp. 



may be either longitudinal or transverse ; and. of 

 course, the number of parts into which a given schizo- 

 carp will divide is determined by the number of its 

 seeds. One with two seeds will split into two parts; 

 another with five seeds, into five parts ; and so forth : 

 and this fact has led to the classification of schizocarps 

 into bipartite, tripartite, quadripartite, quinquepartite, 

 and multipartite. 



The well-known fruit of the Maples (Acer, fig. 628) 

 is a bipartite schizocarp. Its two brown- winged meri- 

 carps are known as samaras a name applied to all 



winged mericarps. 

 These wings carry the 

 two heavy seeds to a 



considerable distance from the parent tree. 

 It has been ascertained by experiment 

 that, when deprived of the wings, the 

 seeds drop to the ground in one-fourth of 

 the time taken by the winged fruit to ac- 

 complish the same distance. In the double 

 fruits of many Umbelliferous plants, the 

 mericarps separate at their lower parts, 

 but remain attached at their apex to a 

 fork-like filiform process, the carpophore. 

 as is well shown in the Samphire (Crith- 

 mum maritimum, fig. 618). Bipartite 

 schizocarps which follow this type are 

 known as cremocarps or hanging fruits. 

 In some Umbelliferse the cremocarps are 

 winged. 



Winged fruits 

 and seeds (for we 



may speak of them together) are adapted for dis- 

 persion by the wind. They reach their highest de- 

 velopment in the Trumpet-flowers (Bignordacece\ 

 where the large wings extend three or four inches, 

 " and the seeds float like a large butterfly, wafted 

 from place to place, until a secure home is reached." 

 In many perhaps most cases, the wings are not 

 able to sustain the fruits in the air unless a pretty 

 strong wind is blowing ; but it must not be forgotten 

 that the wind is the great agent for detaching the ^ 



fruits from the parent tree, and the same gust which JQUND \Bailota nigra). 

 loosens a cluster of samaras from the bough may A quadripartite 



FIG. 619. WYCH ELM (Ulmus 

 montana). 



A samara. The fruit proper (in tlie centre) 

 is shown in section. 



