218 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



surface to form a three-sided pyramid. Above the perianth the recep- 

 tacle usually undergoes a singular deformation. Its centre is in most 

 species much depressed into a sort of conical sac, while its borders 

 rise up considerably, projecting above this sac to form a sort of roof 

 or dome, leaving only a very narrow aperture at the summit 

 (fig. 2G3). Tliis is traversed by the styles, which project from it, 

 while the ovaries are lodged within the receptacular sac, the 

 whole of whose convex surface gives insertion to the pieces of the 

 androceum, which are arranged in a spiral (tig. 264). The stamens, 

 articulated at the base and very caducous, consist of a flattened 

 connective, swollen at the apex into a truncate or rounded glandular 

 head, and bearinj; on its outer lace two adnate cells of lonij:itudinal 

 dehiscence. The carpels, of variable number,' consist each of an ovary 

 tapering into a style, which is dilated^ after passing through the 

 orifice of the receptacular dome (fig. 2C3), and then tapers again into 

 a stigraatiferous apex- In the interior angle of the ovary is seen a 

 placenta bearing an indefinite number of ovules, originally arranged 

 in two vertical rows, with their micropyles turned outwards and 

 downwards ; more rarely their number is reduced to two or three, 

 inserted at variable heights on the interior angle of the ovary. The 

 compound fruit consists of a variable number of sessile or slightly 

 stipitate berries, more or less elongated, or short and thick, with or 

 without more or less marked strangulations between the individual 

 seeds.^ They sometimes open more or less irregularly ; the seeds 

 contain a ruminated albumen and a minute embryo. The aril is 

 often well developed on both sides of the umbilicus (figs. 2f)5, 266). 

 In some species, the very peculiar form of the receptacle disappears 

 more or less completely ; the terminal part supporting tlie carpels 



' Certain nr)\ver8 of A', malai/ana oi,ly con- tions; t hoy are more or less marked, sometimes 



tain tl.rti-. -\. L<uilelli„n,in. \iy.{Ad(,m<,uia, even very deep in X. Rkhardi Hoiv. (ex 



iv. \V\) lins UMuilly six, eacli Kuperposeil to ii H. Hn., Adansunia, v. 1 15, n. 1), a species foimd 



petal. In many oilier ttpecies, especially A'. in HonrlKMi, but wliicli.acordinij U) A. Huhaku 



a-l/iiopica A. 1<I« ii., there are very nuiny, as there (.I/A*'.), is a nativ.- of America.' In tlie s|H.Hies 



are in tin njHcich of the Htetion J'smdunoiia. of the section /'.vrHf/anowrt the berries are thick 



Here and there are (lowers with a single carpel. and nearly continuous, recallinp those of Asimlna 



- This swelling is rarely wanting. It is long in form and size. In A". (Jf.ihzrlui) /erru<;i„f,i, 



and fusiform in most H|)eeieH, ilavifonn in A'. on the contrary, they are deeply stningiilatetl, so 



vialaifana Hook. &. Tiiomh. (fV. /«,/., i. 125). In deeply and regularly as to recall onthe wholethe 



I'Htudaiwim the style is only a long narrow stra)). nioniliform nnisses of Khvt'nomis, such as V. di»- 



more or I),-m revolulo at the afM-x. ,„/„,. (H^jh. 2:»7. a3H). The In-rries of XAiriUanii 



^ In A'. W/«io/^/V(» the berries are nearly n.n- (see p. 2111, note 1) are short and irregularly 

 ti.iuoiis, presenting but very slight strinvinhi- olH.vate, oltvn monospernious. 



