STRUCTURE OF FRUIT. 135 



avoid these causes of doubt, after having examined the 

 pericarp, as we have already done, in the state of an 

 ovary, and in its connexions with the floral parts, 

 properly so called, let us consider here, in their isolated 

 and simple state, the elementary parts of which the 

 pericarp is composed, and afterwards let us examine the 

 consequence of their union, first with each other, and 

 then with the neighbouring organs. 



I suppose throughout all the following description of 

 the pericarp, that all that I have said in the preceding 

 chapter upon the flower, and particularly upon the 

 pistil, is recollected. I beg those who would read the 

 chapter upon the fruit, not to do so until they have 

 read the preceding one. 



Section II. 



Of the Carpels considered in the state of separation from 



one another. 



The Carpels, as we have said in speaking of the pistil, 

 are the female organs of plants, most frequently verticil- 

 late in the centre of the flower, and which, sometimes 

 free, sometimes united, form the pistil during flowering, 

 and afterwards the fruit. 



Each carpel may be considered as a leaf folded longi- 

 tudinally upon itself; if we examine its texture, we 

 shall find that, like the leaf, it is composed of three 

 parts, which really constitute a single envelope, viz. — 



1st. Its external surface, which represents the lower 

 face of the leaf, is a kind of cuticle separable in a great 

 number of fruits, such as the Peach, and existing in all. 

 Richard has given it the name of Epicarp (epicar- 



