g^ NATURAL TIISTOBY OF PLANTS. 



in a sti-matiferous head. Within the ovary, close to the base of 

 this aii-le is seen a placenta, bearing two nearly erect anatropous 

 uvules, "placed side by side, with their micropyles downwards and 

 outwards (fig. 45S).' The fruit is a drupe, at the top of which is the 

 so-called " eye," a depression formed by the original opening of the 

 receptacular sac, usually surrounded by the persistent calyx, and 

 sometimes also by the withered petals and stamens (fig. 460). 

 In the centre of the very thick fleshy mesocarp the endocarp forms 

 from two to five nuts, separated from each other by bands of the 

 fleshy tissue, but free towards the axis, and usually surrounding a 

 central space. Their walls are not very thick, and of scarious or 



Pj/rus Aria (JVUte Beam). 



Fig. 462. 

 Inflorescence. 



parchment-like consistency. Each contains one or two ascending 

 seeds, with fleshy exalbuminous embryos ; the radicle is inferior. 



The Apples' (Fr., Pommiers) were at first distinguished from the 

 Pears, because their styles are not free at the base, but cohere into 

 a column for some way up. The Service-trees^ (Fr., Sorbiers) have 

 been separated because their endocarp is membranous and fragile, 

 and the number of carpels is usually less than five. But these cha- 

 racters, by no means constant and of altogether secondar}^ value, have 



' The iiiiiTopvlc is often covered liy a more or des Sc. Nat. ,t.2^2. — Spach, Suit. a Buff., ii. 133. 



prominent obtunitor. The ovule has two ^ Sorljus 'Y.,Instit.,&^^. — L., Gew., n. G23. — 



coatn. Si'ACH, op. cit., 91. — Aucuparia Medik., ex 



' Mains T., InstU. ,G:ii, t. 1U6. — TuRi-., iJict. Endl., loc. cit., f. — Cormm b^PACH, op. cit. UG. 



