14S 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



eacli consisting of a unilocular ovary tapering above into a style, 

 whose apex is furnished with stigmatic pai)illic.' Close to the base 

 of the inner angle, the ovary presents a placenta bearing a single 

 ascending anatropous ovule with its micropyle downwards and 

 outwards.' The fruit is multiple, consisting of as many follicles as 

 there were carpels in the flower, or nearly so. Tliese are coria 

 ceous, compressed, apiculate, and united into a star (fig. 197) round 

 the common axis,' a fact which has given one of the species of the 



lUicium anUalum. 



Fig. 196. 

 GynaeceuuQ. 



genus, /. anisatini), its vulgar name of Sfar-mtise (Fr. yh/is ctoili). They 

 open along the inner angle, and each contains one seed. This encloses 



in proportion in the very young bud, extending 

 even aVK)ve the summit of the carpels au a thick 

 cone with an ohtuse summit. 



• These pai)illa; are placed on both lips of a 

 longitudinal groove, l)onie by the inner angle of 

 the ciirixl. They dencend low down on these 

 lil)g, beroming gradually more scanty, and even 



reach the level of the ov 



ary. 



' It is incompletely anatropous, and jiossesscs 

 two caits. 'Ilie secundine forms a sort of tubular 

 neck above the nucleus, iMuwing into the cxostome, 

 or even jirotruding thr<<tn{h it. 



' The fruit of /. partijlorum coniista of about 



fifteen horizontal rays, each representing a fol- 

 licle, of which the line of dehi.scenco is quite 

 superior and horizontal. At the centre of the 

 ujiper surface of the fruit, on n level with tlie 

 lK)int of union of all the carpels, is a circular de- 

 pression, forming a sort of well, at the botlon: of 

 which rises a small apiculus. the remains of the 

 organic apex of the receptacle. Scarcely visible 

 on all the rest uf the outer surface are slight 

 rugosities, which become well marke<l on the Star- 

 anise of Hat4»via. The iii>ex of the follicle is 

 acute, and but slightly turned up. 



