CRUCIFEILE 153 



Nos. 1 and 2. Oblong in outline, pinnatifid ; segments five or six, 

 short, oblong, obtuse, or the terminal one spathulate. 



No. 3. Oblong in outline, pinnatifid with about seve n segments. 



Hesperis matronalis, Lam. (fig. 162). 



Siliqua linear, tetragonous, subtorulose, glabrous, dehiscing 

 throughout its length by two valves, many-seeded with the seeds in 

 one row, and partly separated by a contraction of the fruit ; valves 

 trinerved, with the middle nerve strongest. 



Seed oblong, subterete in transverse section, tapering slightly 

 to the apex, where the testa is drawn out into a short margin, glabrous, 

 brown ; hilum and micropyle basal, contiguous at the upper end of 

 the seed ; chalaza thickened, deep brown, immediately beneath the 

 hilum ; raphe none. 



Endosperm absent. 



FIG. 162. Hesperis matronalis, x 10. 



1, Transverse section of seed : B, radicle. 



2, Longitudinal section of seed : m, micropyle ; H & Gh, hilum and chalaza ; 

 v, vacant space in testa. 



Embryo doubled upon itself, comparatively large, and occupying 

 the whole interior of the seed, pale yellow ; cotyledons incumbent, 

 linear-oblong, obtuse, entire, somewhat grooved or concave longitud- 

 inally, shortly petiolate, about equal in length to the interior of 

 the seed, the two frequently of unequal thickness ; petioles apparently 

 facilitating the necessary curvature of the embryo ; radicle dorsal, 

 obtusely trigonous, about equal in length to the seed, partly accom- 

 modated by the concavity of the cotyledons, and partly by extension 

 of the testa along the dorsal aspect. 



Seedling. 



Hypocotyl erect, terete, glabrous, tinged with purple, 3-5 mm. 

 above the soil. 



Cotyledons very variable in shape and size, often unequal, rotund, 

 emarginate, suddenly tapering to the base, or obovate, emarginate, 

 and gradually tapering to the base, glabrous, light green, alternately 

 and ascendingly penninerved and reticulate, thick and opaque, 



