\iS 



NATUIiAL IIISTOIiY OF PLANTS. 



eacli consistini? of a unilocular ovary tapering above into a style, 

 whose apex is furnished with stigmatic papilUc' Close to the base 

 of the inner angle, the ovary presents a placenta bearing a single 

 ascentlin'^ anatropous ovule with its micropyle downwards and 

 outwards.' The fruit is multiple, consisting of as many follicles as 

 there were carpels in the flower, or nearly so. These are coria 

 ceous, compressed, apiculate, and united into a star (fig. 197) round 

 the common axis/ a fact which has given one of the species of the 



Illlcium anisatwm. 



Fig. I'Jo. 

 Flower. 



Fig. 197. 

 Fruit. 



Fig. 109. 



Longitudinal 



section of seed. 



Fig. 196. 

 Gjnseceum. 



Fig. 198. 

 Seed. 



genus, /. anisaium, its vulgar name oi Sfar-anise (Fr. Anis etoile). They 

 open along the inner angle, and each contains one seed. This encloses 



in proportion in the very young bud, extending 

 even above the summit of the carpels as a thick 

 cone with an obtuse summit. 



' These pupilltc are placed on both lips of a 

 longitudinal groove, borne by the inner angle of 

 the carpel. Tliey descend low down on these 

 lips, becoming gradually more scanty, and even 

 reach the level of tlie ovarj'. 



* It is incompletely anatropous, and possesses 

 two coats. Tlie secundine forms a sort of tubular 

 neck above the nucleus, passing into the exostome, 

 or even pnitrudini; through it. 



' The fruit of /. parrijlomm consists of about 



fifteen horizontal rays, each representing a fol- 

 licle, of which the hne of dehiscence is quite 

 superior and horizontal. At the centre of the 

 upper surface of the fruit, on a level with the 

 point of union of all the carpels, is a circular de- 

 pression, forming a sort of well, at the bottom of 

 which rises a small npiculus, the remains of the 

 organic apex of the receptacle. Scarcely visible 

 on all the rest of the outer surface are slight 

 rugosities, which become well marked on the Star- 

 anise of Batavin. The apex of the follicle is 

 acute, and but slightly turned up. 



