442 MORPHOLOGY. 



In the generality of capsular fruits, the above-mentioned four 

 layers of the pericarp may be distinguished from each other ; but 

 they are usually very thin and membranous or leathery, or more 

 rarely woody. 



b. The schizocarps or splitting fruits are usually distinguished 

 chiefly according to the direction in which the cleft occurs. This 

 is either parallel with the axis of the fruit, or perpendicular to it, 

 that is, the solution of continuity is either vertical or transverse. 

 In both, the separate parts are usually only one-seeded. In the 

 first case the separate parts are sometimes named cocci or meri- 

 carps, in the last case joints or articulations ; and they are dis- 

 tinguished, according to the texture of their layers, as dry, coria- 

 ceous, and succulent. The first (the mericarps) are proper to the 

 families Rubiacecs, Euphorbiaceos, Labiates, Boraginacece, Gerani- 

 acece, TropceolacecR, Malvaceae, Umbelliferce, &c. &c. ; the last (the 

 joints) to some of the Leguminoscs and Cruciferce. In the first 

 a columella is not uncommon. 



c. The stone berries, characteristic of the Amygdalece, but also 

 presented in other families, owe their peculiarity to the remarkable 

 diversity in the structure of their layers, and indeed of the paren- 

 chyma layers, the inner of which are always hard, and often 

 woody ; whilst the outer are fleshy or coriaceous : both are de- 

 veloped in a greater thickness than usual. 



d. The true berries, predominating in the families of Grossu- 

 lariacece, Passifloracece, Cucurbitacece, and the Aracece, and occurring 

 occasionally in many other families, depend essentially on the 

 fleshy or juicy texture of the inner layers of the pericarp : this 

 condition often exists to the extent of a dissolution into single cells, 

 tumid with fluid, whilst the external layers are solid, and some- 

 times even woody (as in Lagenaria). 



e. The achaenia, with always thin dry layers, not usually dis- 

 tinguishable, characterise the families of the Grasses, Cyperacece, 

 Cupuliferce, Composites, and Dipsacece, predominate in the Drya- 

 dece and Ranunculacece, and occur singly in other cases. They are 

 one-celled and one-seeded, generally originally, but sometimes (as 

 in the Cupuliferce) through abortion of cells and seed-buds. 



I really believe that the five expressions here given for the nomen- 

 clature of the forms of fruits are perfectly sufficient for the present, if 

 botanists would once begin to seek science in profound knowledge of 

 the vegetable organism, and not in miserable scholastic trifling with the 

 manufacture of Greek and Latin, classic, or even crass, barbaric words. 

 In the enumeration of the particular words now in use, below, I shall 

 have plenty of opportunity for criticism. Here I will merely remark, 

 that the very same botanists who have set up a splendid general Fruit 

 system, often lay aside all these fine words in the special working out of 

 plants, and come off exceedingly well with a very few terms, which is in 

 fact a confession that in the general treatment of the theory of the fruit 

 they have been playing an unaccountably frivolous game with the reader 

 or student. In any case, the manner in which the French in particular 

 have increased nomenclature, is contrary to all laws of a sound termi- 



