63 



CHAPTER VI. GENERAL. 



58. According to their duration Duration of 

 pirts of plants are said to be : S ant , 



iii ) 



fugacious, falling off very early, almost as soon as 

 they are developed, as the petals of Linseed, or 

 Reinwardtia trigyna ; 

 caducous, falling off early, e.g. petals falling before the 



flower is fertilized ; 



deciduous, falling at the usual season, e.g. petals which 

 fall soon after the fertilization of the flower has taken 

 place ; 



persistent, remaining attached to their support beyond 

 the usual season, e.g. petals, or sepals, which remain 

 attached to the fruit. 



Parts which wither, but still remain attached to their 

 support, are said to be marcescent ; parts which persist and 

 increase in size are said to be accrescent, such as the sepals of 

 Sal which become enlarged in the fruit. 



59. According to their texture Texture of 

 parts of plants are said to be : Members. 



osseous, bony, e.g. the stone of many fruits ; 

 corneous, like horn, e.g. albumen of Date Palm ; 

 cartilaginous, hard and tough like parchment, e.g. 

 endocarp of an apple which surrounds the " pips," or 

 seeds. 

 chartaceous, thin, like paper, e.g. outer bark of young 



Birch stems ; 



coriaceous, firm and tough like leather, e.g. leaf of Mango ; 

 sub- coriaceous, thin and pliable like leaves of Berchemia 



floribunda ; 



membranous, very thin and pliable and somewhat trans- 

 parent like skin. e.g. leaves of Staphylea Emodi. 

 If membranous but dry and more or less colourless, 

 the texture is scarious ; 



-paleaceous, like chaff ; scarious but rather stiff ; 

 -fleshy, thick and soft, like leaves of Saxifraga ligulata ; 

 succulent, fleshy and juicy, like leaves of Fedum rosulatum; 

 crustaceous, hard and brittle, like the r'nd, or epicarp; 



of fruit of Grewia pilosa. 



The texture often varies according to the age of the 

 member, thus leaves which are membranous when young 

 may become coriaceous when mature. 



60. The outer skin or surface 

 of plant mem bers is often provided with pricldes. These Gland's. 



