MORIXGE.E 381 



MORINGE/E. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL i. 429. 



Fruit and Seed. The one-celled ovary of this Order is 

 syncarpous, consisting of three carpels, with as many pari- 

 etal placentas, and numerous, pendulous, anatropous ovules 

 arranged in a double series. The raphe is ventral, and very 

 prominent. The fruit is a long, torulose, three- to six- to 

 twelve-angled, * one-celled pod, bursting by three valves when 

 mature. 



The seeds are large, ovoid, three-winged or wingless, seated 

 in a single row upon each of the placentas, and separated 

 by a spongy development of the same ; the wings and chalaza 

 are corky or membranous. Endosperm is wanting, and the 

 large fleshy embryo with almond-shaped cotyledons occupies 

 the whole interior of the seed. The extremely short radicle 

 is included between the bases of the cotyledons, and lies 

 close to the micropyle at the hilar end of the seed. The 

 plumule is well developed, and shows the primary leaves, 

 which are compound. 



Seedlings. The Moringeae constitute a very small Order, in- 

 cluding only three species belonging to Moringa, the only genus. 



The fleshy cotyledons of Moringa aptera are subterranean, 

 and never leave the testa. The first six leaves are pinnately 

 trifoliolate with entire or tridentate leaflets and linear, caducous 

 stipules that appear filiform from being longitudinally revolute. 



In other species the stipules are absent, or consist of glands 

 sometimes stipitate. 



The leaves of the adult are bipinnate, or simply pinnate 

 towards the end of the branches, and ultimately simple and 

 spathulate. All fall early, and the tree becomes leafless. The 

 root of the seedling forms a fleshy tuber with a pungent taste 

 like a radish, and is edible. 



Moringa aptera, Gartn. 



Hypocotyl subterranean. 



Cotyledons subterranean and remaining in the testa, plano- 

 convex, flesliv. 



