242 



STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



(/>) by Arum 

 maculatum, 



capsule and the berry by finally causing me to regard the 

 baccate condition as one that may be imposed on a variety of 

 fruits, not only on the capsule but on the legume, as in the 

 Tamarind, Acacia Farnesiana, and some species of Cassia, but 

 also on the nucule, as with some Labiatae. 



The indications in this table are sufficiently evident. Sub- 

 sequently, on investigating this point in the cases of Arum 

 maculatum, Tamus communis, and Passiflora pectinata, I found 

 that there also a marked contraction of the seeds occurred 

 whilst the berry was passing from the green unripe stage into 

 the red, juicy, mature condition. 



In the instance of Arum maculatum, after a comparison of the 

 full-sized green and red berries on the same spike, and con- 

 taining the same number of seeds for several plants, the follow- 

 ing results were obtained. 



TABLE SHOWING THE CONTRACTION OP THE SEEDS OF 

 ARUM MACULATUM IN THE RIPENING BERRY. 



The loss in weight of the seed was about 1 8 per cent. 



It is thus shown that in spite of their immersion in a moist 

 pulp, the seeds in the reddening berry of Arum maculatum 

 underwent a noticeable contraction and loss of weight. To 

 the eye the contrast is greater than appears in the figures of 

 the table, since the change is associated with marked differences 

 in the general appearance and condition of the seeds. On the 

 one hand, the seeds of the green berry are not only larger and 

 heavier, but they are distinguished also by their whitish hue 

 and their unwrinkled surface. On the other hand, the seeds 

 of the red berry, besides differing in size and weight, are 

 reddish, wrinkled, and somewhat harder. The embryo in both 



