148 FRUITS. 



(75) Cardamon Fruits. 



The fruits of Elettaria Cardamomum, Maton (N.O. Scita- 

 minese). 



The pericarp of the fruit presents the following tissues : 



(1) An outer epidermis consisting of a single row of irregular 

 polygonal cells with straight, smooth walls. 



(2) A rather thick layer otparenchyma traversed by numerous 

 nbro-vascular bundles, and containing scattered cells filled 

 with brownish oleoresin. The fibro- vascular bundles are sup- 

 ported by a mass of fibres, most of which have thickened, pitted 

 walls. 



(3) An inner epidermis, resembling the outer in structrue 

 but usually more or less collapsed. 



The arillus is very thin and composed of several rows of 

 elongated, yellowish, more or less collapsed, cells, containing 

 small rounded or oval droplets of oil. 



The seed is composed of the following tissues : 



(1) An epidermis, consisting of cells which appear rectangular 

 in transverse section, but in surface view are seen to be much 

 elongated and taper towards the ends ; they are furnished with 

 slightly thickened, undulating walls. 



(2) A single row of smaller cells, also elongated in shape but 

 crossing the cells of the epidermis at right angles. 



(3) A single row of large rectangular oil-cells. 



(4) A narrow layer composed of several rows of cells, the 

 structure of which is not distinctly visible. 



(5) An inner epidermis, consisting of a single row of brown or 

 yellowish-brown, radially elongated cells with very thick walls, 

 the cavity being shallow and almost entirely filled with a nodule 

 of silica. 



(6) A largely developed perisperm, the cells of which have 

 thin walls, and are packed with minute starch grains ; in the 

 centre of each cell there is a prismatic crystal of calcium 

 oxalate. 



(7) An endosperm and embryo, the cells of which contain 

 proteid matter. 



The diagnostic characters of the powdered pericarps are : 



(a) The parenchyma with empty cells and scattered resin 

 cells. 



(b) The fibres from the bundles. 

 Powdered seeds are identified by 



(c) The characteristic epidermis. 



(d) The sclerenchymatous layer. 



(e) The fragments of perisperm with small starch grains 

 and calcium oxalate crystals. 



