12 



FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



flowers, whifli contain either no stainons or no pistil. If such 

 possess stamens and no pistil, they are called staminaie or male 

 flowers ; and if pistil and no stamens, pistillate or female flowers. 

 These two kinds are sometimes borne on the same plant, when they 

 are said to be monrerioiis ; but often on separate ])lants [dioecious), 

 as in some of the Nettleworts and the AVillow Tree. Sj)ikes of 

 unisexual flowers, such as arc common among oiu- forest trees, are 

 called catkins. 



The Fruit and Seed 



After the ovules have been impregnated by the pollen they 

 develop into seeds, each of whicli consists of or contains an embryo 



1. Pod. 



2. Siliqna. 



3. Silicula. 



DEIIISCKNT FRIUTS 



4. Follicles (cluster of three). 6. Capsule splitting transvcrfely. 



5. Capsule splitting longitudinally. 7. Capsule splitting by pores. 



plant ; and, at tlie same time, the ovary itself enlarges, changing 

 its character more or less, till it l)ecomes a j-ipened./>-»?7. 



Fruits vary very considerably in thcii- general characters, but 

 may be divided into two main groups — those that s]ilit when ripe 

 {dehiscent fruits) and tliose which do not split (indehiscent fruits). 



The principal forms of dehiscent fruits are : — 



1. The pod or legume, which splits into two valves, with placenta 

 on one side. 



2. The siliqua, a long, narrow fruit that splits into two valves 

 which separate from a membiane with ])lacenta on both sides. 



3. The silicula, of the same nature as the siliqua, but about 

 as broad as it is long. 



