THE FRUIT. 453 



cium apocarpous] ; or where there are several carpels united the 

 pistil is compound (gyncecium syncarpous). 



877. The capsule. When the capsule is syncarpous it may 

 dehisce in three different ways: ist. When the carpels split 

 along the line of their union 



with each other longitudi- /\ *\ 



nally (septicidal dehiscence), ' j ' 



as in the azalea or rhodo- ^So^ 



dendron. 2d. When the Fig. 475- 



i .,.. j ,7 .7 Diagrams illustrating three types (in cross- 



Carpels Split down the mid- section) of the dehiscence of dry fruits. Loc, 

 jj 7 . /7 7* j 7 77- loculicidal; Sep, Septicidal, Septifragal. 



die line (loculicidal dehis- 

 cence), as in the fruit of the iris, lily, etc. 3d. When the carpels 

 open by pores (poricidal dehiscence), as in the poppy. Some 

 syncarpous capsules have but one locule, the partitions between 

 the different locules when young having disappeared. The 

 "bouncing-bet" is an example, and the seeds are attached to a 

 central column in four rows corresponding to the four locules 

 present in the young stage. 



878. A follicle is a capsule with a single carpel which splits 

 open along the ventral or upper suture, as in the larkspur, peony. 



879. The legume, or true pod, is a capsule with a single carpel 

 which splits along both sutures, as the pea, bean, etc. As the pod 



ripens and dries, a strong twisting ten- 

 sion is often produced, which splits the 

 pod suddenly, scattering the seeds. 



880. The silique. In the tooth wort, 

 shepherd' s-purse, and nearly all of the 

 plants in the mustard family the fruit 

 consists of two united carpels, which 

 separate at maturity, leaving the par- 

 tition wall persistent. Such a fruit is 

 a silique; when short it is a silicle y or 

 pouch. 



881. A pyxidium, or pyxis, is a cap- 

 sule which opens with a lid, as in the 



