GASTANEACE^. 



235 



free exserted filament and a small bilocular extrorse anther dehiscing 

 by two longitudinal clefts. In the female glomemles, surrounded 

 by a common involucre, covered with bracts and prickles, ^ there are 

 at adult age one, or oftener three fertile flowers/^ the receptacle of 



Castanea vulgaris. 



Fig. 193. Female flower (4). 



Fig. 191. Androgynous 

 inflorescence. 



Fig. 194. Long. sect, of 

 female flower. 



which has the form of an elongated gourd. Its cavity is filled by 

 the ovary, whilst its margins support six biseriate and imbricate 

 sepals and a variable number^ of sterile epigynous stamens.* The 

 ovary is surmounted by six simple stylary branches, stigmatiferous 

 above and within, corresponding to an equal number of incomplete 

 and biovulate cells.^ The collateral ovules^ are descending, more 

 or less completely anatropous, with micropyle superior and exterior.^ 

 The fruit (fig. 195-198) is an achene crowned with a scar, some- 



1 The bracts are those of the inflorescence in 

 a biparous cyme and are displaced at adult age. 

 The prickles are of the same nature as the 

 scales on the upper portion of the cupule of the 

 Oaks ; and it is absolutely necessary to distin- 

 guish these two kinds of organs one from the 

 other. 



2 In C. vulgaris (vesca), there are at first 

 seven flowers belonging to three successive 

 generations ; but those of the third generation 

 early become abortive. They are sometimes 

 developed just at the end and may then be males. 



3 They may equal the sepals in number and 

 in that case belong to two series ; there are, for 



example, three large and three small more 

 interior. 



4 Here and there they become fertile. When 

 even they are destitute of pollen, the filament 

 and anther are ordinarily distinct at adult age. 



5 The elements of the gynaecium appear also 

 to belong to two different verticils, and there 

 are often three interior carpels, rather smaller 

 than the exterior with which they alternate. 



^ Their appearance is late, as in the BetiilecB, 

 the CoryUce and the Oaks. 



7 Their coat is double (J.G. Ag. Th<or. 

 Sy St. Plant, i. 13, fig. 10, 11). 



