1895.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



21 



Coriander " Seed." 



By R. H. ward, M. D., 



TROY. K. T. 



(From Note book U2, of the American Postal Microscopical Club.) 



This transverse section through the entire fruit of the 

 coriander {Coriandrum sativum L.) is shown to illustrate 

 the fruits of the Parsley family of plants (Umbelliferse). 

 The whole fruit being of typical seed-like size and gen- 

 eral external appearance, is called in the language of the 

 kitchen and the shops, the '' seed." 



Under the microscope with a 2-inch objective, it is 

 seen as shown in the figure to be composed of a pair of 



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dry, hard, somewhat hemispherical mericarps (half- 

 fruits), each containing, and nearly filled by a single 

 fleshy seed. These two mericarps were originally the 

 couple of carpels, or seed-bearing leaves, which together 

 constituted the compound pistil of the flower; and now, 

 being fully matured, they maintain the same general ar- 

 rangement, though the comparatively simple ovule has 

 developed into the more elaborate seed. They remain 

 more or less coherent into a "compound fruit," although 

 in the other genera in this vast family they usually sepa- 

 rate when ripe. Obviously the chief outer wall of this 



