252 DECOMPOSITE ORGANS. CHAP. I. 



detachable in the early stages of its growth, but 

 detachable at the period of the maturity of the 

 fruit, when it is generally of a membranaceous or 

 leathery texture ; though sometimes soft and fleshy, 

 and sometimes crustaceous and bony. It may be 

 Very easily distinguished in the transverse or longi- 

 tudinal section of the garden Bean or any other 

 large seed, and may be also easily detached by the 

 aid of a little manipulation. If it is detached entire 

 it will be found to consist of one individual piece 

 without any disruption of continuity, except that 

 occasioned by the hilum or scar which is left by the 

 fracture of the umbilical cord, (and which is to be 

 perceived on the surface of every seed,) or by the 

 foramen or aperture of Grew. In Dysopyrus and 

 Royena, it has the appearance indeed of being com- 

 posed of two valves, but when more minutely 

 inspected it is found to consist of one only. It 

 consists also for the most part of only one cell, 

 but in Sapindus and a few others it has two 

 cells. Its colour is generally of a deeper shade 

 than that of the parts which it contains, as may 

 be seen in the dissection of the seed of the com- 

 mon Privet, though sometimes it is also perfectly 

 pellucid, as in Oryza. In some seeds it seems to 

 he altogether wanting, as in Rizophora, Caryophyl- 

 lus, and Laurus, in which, as Gaertner observes, it 

 may probably have attached itself to the partitions 

 of the pericarp. 

 Or sub- ARTICLES. The Interior Integument. The in- 



testa. 



