92 OBJECT LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



185. But there are some kinds of fruit almost or quite des- 

 tirute of a pericarp, consisting of naked seeds. On the pre- 

 ceding page is a figure (301) of the Canada Yew, a trailing 

 sln-ub of New England and Canada. The fruit is a single 

 naked black seed, seated in a fleshy, coralline-red cup. The 

 cone (of Pine, Fir, &c.) is made up of thick woody bracts, each 

 covering in their axils two or more winged seeds (Fig. 300). 



LESSON XXIV. 



CONCERNING THE SEEDS. 



186. Last and most important is the seed^ the perfected 

 ovule, containing the germ of a new plant like its parent 

 plant. The seed consists of a kernel and its shell. Place a 

 bean in water, and soon its softened shell or skin is easily 

 separated from the kernel. 



187. The shell of a seed may be of any color, as white, 

 black, yellow, red, &c. ; may be polished and shining, or dull 

 and rough ; may be of any shape, as round, or oval, or egg- 

 shaped ; may be winged, as in Catalpa, or may be clothed 

 w^ith long hairs, called coma. The silk of Silk-grass (Ascle- 

 pias) is the coma of the seed, and cotton is the coma of 

 Cotton seed. The seed of Poplar (cotton-wood) or Willow 

 is also furnished with coma. 



185. What plants have no pericarps ? Please describe a cone of Pine 

 fruit of Yew. 



186. What is the seed, and what does it contain ? Of what two parts 

 does it consist ? 



187. What do you remember concerning the color and shape ? Describe 

 the coma of a seed. 



