60 



superior when it points upwards towards the apex of the fruit 

 and inferior when it is directed downwards towards the base. 

 The pericarp may, or may not, be differentiated into definite 

 layers and sometimes as many as 3 can be distinguished, in 

 which case the outer layer is called the epicarp, the inner 

 layer the endocarp, and the middle layer the mesocarp. 



In many cases a conspicuous part of the fruit is not deve- 

 loped from the pistils, but from some other part of the flower. 

 Thus in the Strawberry the succulent portion, which forms the 

 greater part of the fruit, is developed from the receptacle, in 

 the Sal the calyx persists and develops into large veined 

 wings, in Semecarpus Anacardium the base of the calyx 

 and the receptacle form a conspicuous fleshy base to the 

 fruit, while in the Oak the "cup"' of the acorn is formed of bracts. 

 Fruits which, when ripe, open to let the seeds escape are 

 said to be dehiscent, those which do not do so are indehiscent. 

 Types of 56. The principal types of fruits 



Fmit. 



A. DRY AND DEHISCENT. 



(1) Follicle, consisting of one carpel and dehiscing by one 

 suture. 



(2) Legume, consisting of one carpel and dehiscing both by 

 the dorsal and ventral sutures. A legume which is much con- 

 stricted between the seeds is called a lomentum. This often 

 breaks up into one-seeded joints when ripe. 



(3) Capsule, arising from a compound pistil. May be one 

 or many celled. If a capsule splits open along the dis- 

 sepiments its dehiscence is septicidal, if it splits open through 

 the back of each carpel the dehiscence is loculicidal. In both 

 cases the dissepiments separate from the axis. When the 

 dissepiments remain attached to the axis and the valves merely 

 separate from the ends of the dissepiments, as in Cedrela 

 Toona, the dehiscence is septijragal. In some cases the dehis> 

 cence may be partly according to one and partly according to 

 another of these types. In septicidal dehiscence, for instance, 

 if the dissepiments remain attached to the axis, the valves of 

 the capsule may separate from the ends of the dissepiments as 

 in septifragal dehiscence. 



(4) Schizocarp, arising from a compound pistil and break- 

 ing up at maturity into distinct portions, each of which is 

 usually indehiscent and looks like a separate fruit, being 

 called a coccus. When a coccus is small and one -seeded it is 

 called a nutlet. 



