552 



BOTANY 



PART II 



Fici. 527. — Quercas pcdtuiculuta, longitudinal 

 section of the female flower, b, The young 

 cupula ; e, ovule ; d, ovary ; c, perigone ; 

 /, style ; g, stigma. (After Berc and 

 Schmidt, magnified.) 



8-12 stameus. Female iiiJiorescences ter- 

 iniual, capitate and erect ; Howers in two- 

 Howered dichasia. The cupule surrounds 

 both flowers (Fig. 525, S), and completely 

 envelops the triangular, nut-like fruits ; 

 at maturity it opens by splitting into four 

 valves. The surface is covered with 

 numerous, blunt prickles. 



Castanea vulgaris, the edible Chestnut, 

 is a native of the Mediterranean region. 

 The inflorescences on shoots of the current 

 year bear in some cases only male flowers, 

 in others female flowers at the base and 

 male flowers above. Flowers groujied in 

 dichasia. Female dichasia three-flowered 

 (Fig. 525, A), so that three nuts come to 

 be enclosed within the spiny cupide, which 



E =^^#»t^ F 



Fio. ."jSa.— (?iM,TcH.s iicilnnrnhita. A, Klowi'ring l)rancli ; B, a male Mower (magnified) ; f, stamens 

 (niagnilled) ; 1), a female llower (niagiiitied) ; K, infructesconce ; F, cupnle ; fl-ll, sei'd. 



