THE AVOCADO 



13 



May, according to locality and variety. Occasionally some of 



the Mexican avocados (P. drymifolia) bloom in November, 



while the Guatemalan varieties (P. americana) may not begin 



flowering until March or April. The flowers (Fig. 1) are pro- 



duced in racemes near the ends of the branches, and are fur- 



nished with both stamens and pistils, all of them being inherently 



capable of developing into fruits. From their immense number, 



however, it is easy to see that only a minute percentage can 



actually do so. They are small and pale green or yellowish 



green in color. At first glance they appear 



to have six lanceolate or ovate petals, but 



on closer examination these are seen to be 



perianth-lobes; the usual differentiation 



into two whorls or series, calyx and corolla, 



does not occur in the avocado. The 



perianth-lobes are of nearly equal length 



in most varieties, the inner three occasion- 



ally being longer than the outer ; they are 



more or less pubescent, heavily so in P. 



drymifolia, sometimes almost glabrous in P* 



americana. The nine stamens are arranged 



in three series; the anthers are 4-celled, 



the cells opening by small valves hinged at 



AX-LL u * i. 



the upper end. At the base of each stamen 

 of the inner series are two large orange-colored glands which 

 secrete nectar, presumably for the attraction of insects. Inside 

 the stamens are three staminodes or vestigial stamens. The 

 ovary is 1 -celled, and contains a single ovule; the style is 

 slender, usually hairy, with a simple stigma. 



The fruit is exceedingly variable in both species. The 

 smallest fruits of P. drymifolia are no larger than plums, while 

 the largest of P. americana weigh more than three pounds. The 

 form in both species is commonly pear-shaped, oval, or obo- 

 void, but ranges from round and oblate at one extreme to long 



-fio. 1 - Rowers of 



Fuerte avocado. 



