FRUITS 



I6 5 



Fig. 229. — 

 Akenes of 

 Buttercup. 



Fig. 230. — Akenes 

 of Buttercup, 

 one in longitudi- 

 nal section. 



Pericarps. — The simplest pericarp is a dry, one- 

 seeded, indehiscent body. It is known as an akene. A 

 head of akenes is shown in Fig. 229, and the 

 structure is explained in Fig. 

 230. Akenes may be seen in 

 buttercup, hepatica, anemone, 

 smartweed, buckwheat. 



A i-loculed pericarp which 

 dehisces along the front edge 

 (that is, the inner edge, next 

 the center of the flower) is a follicle. The. fruit of the 

 larkspur (Fig. 231) is a follicle. There are usually five of 

 these fruits (sometimes three or 

 four) in each larkspur flower, each 

 pistil ripening into a follicle. If 

 these pistils were united, a single 

 compound pistil would be formed. 

 Columbine, peony, ninebark, milk- 

 weed, also have follicles. 



A i-loculed pericarp that de- 

 hisces on both edges is a legume. 

 Peas and beans are typical exara- 

 232); in fact, this character gives 

 the pea family, — Leguminosae. 

 Often the valves of the 

 legume twist forcibly and 

 expel the seeds, throwing 

 them some distance. The 

 word "pod" is sometimes restricted to 

 legumes, but it is better to use it generi- 

 cally for all dehiscent pericarps. 



A compound pod — dehiscing peri- 

 carp of two or more carpels — is a capsule (Figs. 233, 234, 



pies (Fig. 

 name to 



Fig. 232. — A 

 Bean Pod. 



Fig. 233. — Capsule of 

 Castor -oil Bean- 

 after Dehiscence. 



