312 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



typically five, the stamens usually four or eight, i.e. 



fewer than the sepals or than double their number, 



and there is a prominent disc inside or outside them. 



The ovary has one style, the fruit is a capsule or a sort 



of berry. In many 

 the seed has an aril, 

 which in some en- 

 tirely covers it. 



One of the com- 

 monest plants in 

 India is DODONCEA 

 VISCOSA, the San- 

 atta or Virali, a bush 

 with alternate, 

 simple, entire 

 leaves, that shine as 

 if varnished, and 

 x flatwinged one-seed- 

 ed pods (samara) in 

 cymose bunches. 

 The flowers are 

 small, have large 

 anthers but no 

 petals, and the disc is 



CARDIOSPERMUM HALICACABUM, L. nO t well developed. 



NEPHELIUM LIT-CHI, Camb., is the Litchee tree, the 

 edible part of whose fruit is the large fleshy aril. 



CARDIOSPERNUM HALICACABUM, L., the herb refer- 

 red to above has sensitive leaves and more or less climb- 

 ing branches. Its name is taken from a white mark of 

 the conventional heart shape on the seeds (cardium 

 = heart, spernum = seed) by which it can at once be 



FIG. 74 



