106 tfiE STRAWBERRY. 



The Flower, in its general plan, resembles the Butter- 

 cup ; but have you not already taken note of two remarkable 

 differences? The 5 green sepals are here reinforced by 5 

 similar alternating bracts, appearing like a double calyx or 

 a calyx of 10 sepals. The oo (= many) stamens, a multiple 

 of 5 (at least in the wild plant), are, in situation, perigynous 

 (peri, around, gynk, pistil), i. e., adhering at the base to the 

 calyx as if inserted on it (4). How does this compare with 

 the flower of Buttercup ? It is an important distinction. 

 The oo pistils, situated as in Buttercup, are peculiar in form 

 (6), with a lateral style, and quite distinct from one another. 



The Jfrtiit is a strawberry ; it needs no other name, for 

 there is no other like it. It consists of the enlarged pulpy 

 torus (7) bearing on its surface the many one-seeded carpels 

 the achenia, the true fruit of the botanist.* While in 

 bloom, the flowers are erect and above the leaves, but in 

 fruit they nod and ripen in partial concealment. 



^Estivation. The 5 white petals, like those of the 

 Buttercup, are quincuncial, i. e., 2 are wholly outside, 2 are 

 wholly within, and 1 oblique, or half without and half 

 within. Compare this with the flower of Oxalis. f 



The Name, Fragaria, alludes to the fragrance of the 

 luxurious fruit. Two species, F. Virginiana, and F. vesca, 

 grow wild in woods and fields. Under cultivation, the 

 pulpy torus is wonderfully enlarged. 



Scientific Terms. Complete leaves. Cyme. Imbricate. Pe- 

 rigynous. Pubescent. Quincuncial. Runners. Serrate. Villous. 



* In the vegetable economy the pulpy deposit in fruits has reference to the disper- 

 sion of the seeds rather than their nourishment in germination. It feeds and nour- 

 ishes the birds, which in turn plant afar off the seeds which they have swallowed, 

 while man avails himself of only its superabundance. It is interesting to note the 

 varieties of form and place which this deposit takes in different fruits. In the straw- 

 berry, the delicious morsel is in the torus ; in the raspberry it is in the achenia ; in 

 the blackberry, in both torus and achenia. In the checkerberry, the calyx contains 

 the rich deposit ; in the grape, the pericarp, and in the apple, both calyx and peri- 

 carp, while in the pineapple the whole inflorescence becomes gorged with pulp. 



t The term imbricate is more general, applying to both these special forms in 

 which the petals overlap each other like shingles. (See p. 43, Note.) 



