GERANIACE^E 307 



The carpels are oblanceolate with two oblique, glandular, de- 

 pressed spots at the apex, and covered with a dense array of 

 brownish-yellow or fuscous hairs pointing upwards. 



The ovule is attached to the axile placenta near the base of the 

 cavity of each loculus ; the hilum is ventral and very close to the 

 base of the seed ; the raphe proceeds from the hilum to the base of 

 the seed on the ventral face, terminating in the chalaza there, so 

 that it is very short. 



The radicle of the embryo is embedded in tissue or a tube close 

 to the micropyle immediately above the hilum. The embryo grows 

 to the upper end of the seed as in Geranium, and then bends 

 towards the base. The curvature takes place in the radicle or 

 rather the short hypocotyl. The cotyledons are shortly petiolate to 

 permit of folding. They are deeply concave only on the inner face, 

 not rolled round one another as in Geranium. This is due to the 

 narrowness of the fruit and seed. The thickest part of the seed, 

 that is the uppermost, is occupied by the bent part of the hypocotyl, 

 the petioles, and base of the cotyledons. The latter are deeply con- 

 cave on the inner face, and fit into one another edgeways ; they are 

 also pinnatifid with the lobes more or less imbricated and pointing 

 towards the apex. They are nearly, although not quite, of equal 

 width throughout after germination ; but while yet in the seed the 

 fission admits of their being folded into narrower space. This is 

 necessary on account of the seed being very narrow and pointed like 

 the fruit ; whereas in Geranium the lower end of the fruit and seed 

 is equally as wide as the upper end. 



Erodium trichomanefolium, L'llerit. 



Hypocotyl erect, terete, or somewhat decumbent at the base 

 owing to the horizontal position of the seed from which it emerged, 

 and which persists around the base of the seedling after it has 

 attained some size, stout or somewhat succulent, glandular-pubes- 

 cent, 5-9 mm. long. 



Stem herbaceous or suffruticose, very short. 



Cotyledons cordate or oblong-cordate, obtuse, entire at the 

 apex or incipiently emarginate, entire at the sides or with a deep 

 incision on one or both sides about the middle or lower down, 

 usually very unequal at the base, thick, fleshy, glandular-pubescent 

 above and on the petioles, glabrous beneath ; lamina, 7-1O5 mm. 

 long, 5-6 mm. wide ; petiole subterete, slightly grooved above, 

 glandular-pubescent, T2-1-35 cm. long. 



Leaves simple, radical and cauline, alternate, stipulate (1st leaf 



