170 REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. CHAP. III. 



to the pericarp containing it, is either upright, that 

 is attached by its own base to the base of the fruit, 

 as in the Grape ; or inverted, that is having its base 

 so placed as to face the apex of the fruit, as in the 

 Prune ; or horizontal, that is attached by its side 

 and situated at right angles to the base of the fruit, 

 as in Crown Imperial ; or pendant, that is suspend- 

 ed from the apex of the fruit or pericarp by a long 

 thread, as in the Ash. (PI. VI. Fig. 1.) 



Sessile or If the seed is placed immediately upon the pla^ 



? edic e ' centa or receptacle, as in Bugloss, it is said to be ses- 

 sile ; if it is imbedded in a pulp, as in the Berry, it 

 is said to be nestling; and if it is attached to the 

 receptacle by an intermediate substance it is said to 

 be pedicled, as in the Pea. 



The um- The substance attaching the seed to the receptacle 

 is generally of a thread-shaped figure, as in the Ash 

 (PI. VI. Fig. 1.), and is by botanists denominated 

 the Umbilicus or umbilical cord, from its analogy to 

 the umbilicus of animals. Sometimes, however, it 

 is horn-shaped, as in Acanthus ; or bristle-shaped ; 

 or down-like, as in Epilobium ; and sometimes it is 

 a mere tubercle. 



The hi- On the surface of the seed and at the point of its 

 attachment to the pericarp, whether mediate or im- 

 mediate, there is always to befound a mark or scar 

 (PL VI. Fig- Q-), differing in colour and in grain 

 from ; the rest of the surface. It is the scar left by the 

 natural fracture of the umbilical cord. Linnaeus gave 

 it the appellation of the Hilum, which it still re- 

 4 



