MELTACE.E 



335 



apiocarpa and others ; in several cases they lie transversely 

 to the seeds ; and in Carapa, Trichilia, and some others the 

 cot}'ledons are conferruminate. They are unequal-sided in 

 Chickrassia, which has flattened seeds winged on the back. 

 The flattening is due to the mutual compression of the large 

 seeds, which vary from two to five in each cell of the capsule. 

 An aril is present in many genera, and in some cases it is 

 united or confluent with the testa; hut more frequently it 

 simply surrounds the whole 

 seed. 



Seedlings. This Order 

 numbers some 270 species, 

 but few are of frequent oc- 

 currence in this country, 

 with exception perhaps of 

 Melia Azedarach (fig. 238). 

 There are several types of 

 seedlings. In Walsura pis- 

 cidia (fig. 239) the coty- 

 ledons are fleshy, shortly 

 petiolate, and strictly sub- 

 terranean. The first pair 

 of leaves in Melia Azedarach 

 is tripartite, with cuneate, 

 cut, or deeply toothed seg- 

 ments. Succeeding ones 

 vary in the amount of divi- 

 sion till they become bi- to 

 tri-pinnate. Although the 

 first four are in opposite pairs, the rest are alternate. A notice- 

 able point in Walsura piscidia is that the first pair of leaves is 

 small and scaly, followed by two pairs of small but foliaceous 

 ones. Succeeding ones to the ninth are larger, alternate, and 

 entire. Some species of Walsura have trifoliolate or pinnate 

 leaves. 



Melia Azedarach, L. (fig. 238). 



Hypocotyl erect, terete, pale green, pubescent, about 3'4 cm. 

 above tbe soil. 



PIG. 238. Melia Azedarach. 

 Half nat. size. 



