38 



VARIOUS FOOD-PLANTS 



quantities of peanuts and Brazil-nuts are eaten, while in 

 some places the coconut constitutes the chief, sometimes 

 almost the only, food. The importance of nuts, to mankind, 



Fig. 



25. — Chestnut. A, twig bearing two clusters of pistillate flowers, 

 and a small immature cluster of staminate flowers. B, a single clu.ster 

 of three pistillate flowers protruding from among the bracts which 

 form a cup around them. C, a single pistillate flower, showing six 

 elongated stigmas and a bell-shaped calyx of si.x sepals formed above 

 the ovary. D, the same, cut vertically to show the ovules at the base 

 of the flask-shaped ovary. E, a single staminate flower, showing the 

 numerous stamens surrounded by the calyx of six sepals joined at the 

 base. The figures all somewhat enlarged. (Baillon.) 



/;;/'/j.;:^r 



Fir.. 26. — Chestnut. A, ripe fruit, showing the now spiny bract-cup or 

 "burr" split open and exposing three nuts within. Reduced. B, one 

 of the side nuts, showing at tlie tip the stigmas and calyx. About 

 two-thirds natural size. C, the middle nut. showing the scar of at- 

 tachment at i)ase. D, a side nut, cut vertically to show the seed within 

 containing a large embryo gorged with starchy food. (Baillon.) 



therefore, is much greater than we commonly suppose, con- 

 sidering that with us they are used scarcely more than as 

 luxuries. 



