THE PULSE FAMILY 365 



them, or in other words, the pericarps adhere i to the torus, 

 as botanists say of the union of dissimilar parts. 



Such adhesion is represented in the Rubus formula by a bracket 

 placed after the pericarp signs. The bracket is separated Idj^ a 

 comma from the i)receding signs to show that in this genus the 

 pericarps are sometimes free. Similarly the expression t;,!, means 

 that the upper jiart of the torus may be either dry or fleshy in fruit, 

 while Cjl! means that each pericarp is hard within and fleshy with- 

 out, i. e., drupaceous. 



Each flower of plums, peaches, almonds, and cherries 

 (Prunus) produces but a single drupe, and this has commonly 

 but one seed within the "stone"; though occasionally as in 

 "philopena" almonds both of the ovules develop. It should 

 be noted that neither the "stone" of a peach, plum, or cherry 

 nor the "shell" of an almond is part of a seed, but is the 

 hardened inner layer of the pericarp, enclosing a seed or 

 seeds. 



The torus of quince (Cydonia) and of apples and pears 

 (Pyrus), envelops the gyncecium, is adherent to the com- 

 pound ovary, and both ripen together into the kind of fruit 

 called a pome ^ in which the seeds are enclosed in a "core" 

 consisting of dry, more or less parchment-like pericarps, 

 surrounded by the fleshy torus. An adherent torus envelop- 

 ing the ovary is said to be epigynous,^ a term likewise applied 

 to the stamens, or the floral envelopes which it bears; and, 

 indeed, to the flower itself having such a torus. The ovaries 

 of epigynous flowers are termed inferior. 



A typical formula for the family is shown on pages 408, 409, 



The family includes plants of various habit; without milky, 

 colored, or acrid juice, and lacking reservoirs of volatile oil; 

 but having often fragrant flowers more or less like those of the 

 crowfoot family, but perigynous or epigynous; mostly stipulate 

 leaves, and frequently luscious fruit. 



113. The pulse family (Leguminosas) . Examples: pea- 

 nut (Fig. 33, page 45), pea (Figs. 37, 38, page 48), beans 



1 Ad-here' < L. ad, to; hoerere, stick. 



2 Pome < L. poynum, an apple or similar fruit. T! C/ < 

 ' Ep-ig'y-nous < Gr. epi, upon; gyne, pistil. T^] 



