164 



FRUITS 



296. Pepo or squash. 



ered, in the axils of the scales of the young cone, and they 



have neither style nor stigma. The pollen falls directly tm 

 the mouth of the ovule. The ovule 

 ripens into a seed (Fig. 297) which is 

 usually winged. Because the 

 ovule is not borne in a sac 

 or ovary, these plants are 

 called gymnosperms (Greek for 

 "naked seeds"). AH the true 

 cone-bearing plants are of this 

 class; also certain other 

 plants as red cedar, juniper, 



yew. The plants a*re monoecious or sometimes dioecious. 



The staminate flowers are mere naked stamens borne 



beneath scales, in small yellow catkins which 



soon fall. The pistillate flowers are naked 



ovules beneath scales on cones which persist. 



(Figs. 298, 299.) 



Review. — What is a fruit, as understood by the 

 botanist? What is a locule? What are simple, com- 

 pound and accessory or reinforced fruits? Define 

 pericarp. Pod. What are dehiscent and indehiscent 



fruits? What is a samara or key-fruit? 



Define achene. Follicle. Legume. Cap- 

 sule. Explain septicidal and loculicidal 



dehiscence. Apical dehiscenc. Basal 



dehiscence. What is a pyxis? Silique? 



Silicle? Berry? Drupe? Drupelet? 



Explain an aggregate fruit. Explain 



the fruit of strawberry, rose, apple, 



squash. What is the fruit of pines 



and spruces? 



Note. — Fully mature fruits are best for study, 

 particularly if it is desired to see dehiscence. For 

 comparison, pistils and partially grown fruits should 

 299. Pistillate be had at the game timei jf the fruits are not r i pe 

 cone of white , , . , , , , . xl , 



pine. enough to dehisce, they may be placed in the sun to dry. 



298. Pistillate cone 

 of Norway spruce. 

 This tree is one of 

 the commonest of 

 planted ever- 

 greens. 



