588 



BOTANY 



Hesperidium, many celled, few seeded ; example, 

 Orange. Glans, one-celled, one or few seeded ; 

 example, the Oak. Cypsella, one-seeded, one-celled ; 

 example, all compound flowers. Cremocarpium, two 

 to five-celled, interior ; example, umbelliferous plants. 

 Deplotegia, one or many celled ; differs from the 

 capsule only in being adherent to the calyx ; example, 

 Campanula. Pomum, two or more celled ; example, 

 the Apple. Pcpo, one-celled, many seeded ; example, 

 the Melon. Sacca, a berry, many celled, many seeded ; 

 example, the Gooseberry. Balausta, many celled ; 

 example, Pomegranate. Fourth, ANTHOCARPI, col- 

 lective fruits, viz., Diclcsium, one-seeded, indehiscent ; 

 example, Spinach. Sphalcrocarpum, one-seeded, en- 

 closed within a fleshy perianthium ; example, the Yew. 

 Sycomts, a fleshy rachis, having the form of a hollow 

 receptacle ; example, the Fig. Slrobilus, cone, an 

 amentum, the cupella of which are scale-like ; ex- 

 ample, Pinus. Sorosis, a spike, converted into a fleshy 

 fruit by the cohesion of the ovaria with its envelopes ; 

 example, Mulberry. 



These are the names or titles by which the different 

 forms and structure of seed-vessels are known among 

 botanists, and which, when committed to memory, are 

 of the greatest use in abridging descriptions of plants, 

 seeing that a single term, properly applied, serves the 

 purpose of very many words. The annexed are 

 figures of fruit. 



Seed-vessels are two or many valved. The junc- 

 tures are called sutures, to which the seeds are some- 

 times umbilically attached. If the seeds are borne on 

 an internal member, it receives the name of placenta; 

 and if the capsule be divided by membranous parti- 

 tions, these are called dissepiments. 



The Style is that portion of the pistillum which, 

 when present, serves to elevate the stigma. It is 

 usually seated on the topmost part of the germen, and 

 is of various lengths, sometimes protruding beyond all 

 the other members of the flower. In form it is com- 

 monly cylindrical, and in structure tubular, to permit 

 the descent of the influence of the pollen, which is 

 disintegrated upon the stigma. Sometimes the style 

 is entirely absent ; in which case the stigma is seated 

 close upon the capsule, as it appears on the poppy. 

 As soon astheovarium is impregnated, the style shrinks 

 and withers away, leaving on some fruits a very small 

 portion of its base. In many plants there is but one 

 style, but in several of the Linnaean classes there is 

 a plurality, so that the term polygynia (many females) 

 is frequently used. The style and stigma are the 

 most delicate members of the flower, being more 

 easily injured by frost, or withered by the sun, than 

 the other less essential organs. 



The Stigma. This organ is always borne on the 

 summit of the style, if the latter be present ; or, in 

 default of this, on the apex or crown of the germen or 

 ovarium. It is the only part of a plant which has no 

 cuticle, and when perfect, is usually covered with a 

 thin lymph or fluid, (he more readily to catch and 

 retain the pollen discharged from the anthers upon it. 

 In this fluid it is said the granules of pollen undergo 

 some kind of change or solution preparatory to the 

 descent of their influence into the ovarium. This 

 change of the pollen has been repeatedly observed ; 

 and from the effects of foreign pollen artificially ap- 

 plied, there can be no doubt but that this is the course 

 in which the sexual powers of plants are united and 

 consummated. 



The pistillum, consisting of the three divisions just 

 described, is pretty uniform in appearance in most of 

 the Linnsean classes, except Syngcncsia and Gynan- 

 dria, the Composite and Orc/iidcee of Jussieu. fn the 

 latter named order the filaments of the anthers and 

 the style of the pistillum are united, forming a column 

 on which both anthers and stigma arc seated, but in 

 such positions as to make the means of contact not 

 very apparent. But diligent observers have discovered 

 that there is not only a channel of communication, 

 but a peculiar mechanism and elastic power in the 

 filaments, by which a conjunction takes place with the 

 greatest facility. 



The Receptacle. This is the last member of the 

 flower which remains to be noticed. It is that part 

 on which all the other members are seated, either 

 directly or indirectly. The calyx is usually borne on 

 its edge ; the corolla, stamens, and pistillum, on its 

 disk. It is the termination of a fruit-bearing branch, 

 or that of a peduncle, and is either nearly flat, 



Receptacles. 



elongated out in the shape of a slender cone, or 

 enlarged into u thick fleshy cnp. 



