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Classification of Fruits. 



The fruits or pericarps of all phenogamous plants have been divided 

 by Mirbel into two classes, viz., gymnocarpes, those not covered or 

 masked by an organ concealing their character, and angiocarpes, those 

 which are covered by an organ concealing them. These two classes 

 are subdivided into orders and genera. 



Order 1st, carabrulares, class 1st, gymnocarpes, (fruits not covered.) 

 Simple fruits without valves, never opening spontaneously and includ- 

 ing fruits of the grasses, and syngenesious plants, etc., genera cypsela, 

 pericarp 1 celled, 1 seeded, adhering, seed erect, monocephalous, etc., 

 as the lettuce, oyster-plant, dandelion, etc. Gen. cerion, embryo on 

 side of persisperm, 1 cotyledon, large and fleshy, as fruit of indian 

 corn, grasses, wheat, rice, etc. Gen. carcerula, as buckwheat, rhu- 

 barb, elm, etc. 



Order 2d, capsulares, simple capsules opening at maturity, free, sin- 

 gle ovary, etc., Gen. capsule as in the lily, 1 or more cells, etc. Gen. Le- 

 gume, irregular bivalve, monocephalous, free, 1 cell, embryo with 2 coty- 

 ledons, as the bean, pea, cassia, etc. Gen. silique, bivalved, seeds at- 

 tached to upper and lower valves, as white mustard, etc. Gen. 

 Pyxides, 2 valves opening like a box, as bachelor's button, etc. 



Order 3d, dieresila, simple fruits, many symetrical carpels opening 

 at maturity, as seed of nasturtion. Gen. cremocarp, ovary surmounted 

 with 2 styles, 2 cells, 2 seeds, embryo with 2 cotyledons, as seeds of 

 carrot, parsley and other umbelliferous plants. Gen. Regmate, many 

 seeds, 2 valves opening with a spring, as euphobia. Gen. Dieresil, 

 variable, as geranium, hollyhock, etc. 



Order 4th, compound fruits, from ovaries bearing styles. Gen. 

 Double follicle, as milk weed. Gen. Etairon, many seeds, as ranun- 

 culus, anemomone, as monk's hood, &c. 



Order 6th, Drupaces, simple, succulent fruits, containing a nut. 

 Gen. Drupe, pericarp woody, or bony, as nuts, and fleshy as peach, or 

 pulpy as cherry. 



Order 7th, simple succulent fruits, many separate seeds. Gen. Py- 

 ridion, fruit regular, pericarp round and fleshy, several cells, each with 

 1 or more seeds, embryo with 2 large cotyledons, as the pear and apple, 

 seeds in 5 carpels or cells. Gen. Pepo, 3 celled, many seeds, regular 

 monocephalous fruit, as water melon, cucumber. Gen. Bacca, a berry 

 many seeded, without capsules, as pericarp of orange, whortleberry, 

 current, barberry, potato, grape, etc. 



Class 2d. (Fruits covered) 5 genera. Gen. Strobilum, or cone, car- 

 cerular fruits, concealed by scales, as pine, juniper, pine apple. 

 Gen, Calybion, as the fruit of the oak, (in a scaly capsule) beech, yew, 

 etc. Gen. Sycone, as ambara, etc. Gen. Sorose, fruits united in a 

 spike and covered with succulent floral envelops, as mulberry. 



