CAPSULE 



13 



the Silique differs from the other two in being syncarpous. 

 Now suppose three or more carpels to be united into 

 a syncarpous fruit, and the pericarp dry and shedding the 

 loosely boxed seeds by dehiscence. This gives a general 

 type of box-like fruit known as the Capsule, very common 

 and very various in details. The capsule may be of 

 various shapes, long and pod-like (Epilobium, Moringia, 

 &c.), globose (Pimpernel, Poppy), cordate (Veronica, 

 Polygala), &c. : it may be one-chambered (Violet, Prim- 

 rose) or incompletely divided up into several chambers 

 (Poppy, Viscaria, &c.) or with several chambers (pluri- 

 locular) as in Lilies, Datura, &c. ; and the relation of this 



Fig. 9. Colchicum, septicidal 

 capsule (Le M). 



Fig. 10. Datura, septifragal 

 capsule (Le M). 



to the placentation is obvious when the origin from the 

 gynoecium is understood in unilocular capsules the 

 placentae are parietal, free-central, or, when incompletely 



