4 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. 
are, from the first, united so as to form a unicellular ovary with numerous parietal 
placentas, and of those species of Anona and Aberemoa and Rollinia where the pistils cover a 
convex receptacle and become syncarpous after fertilization, the whole of the members ot 
the family have multiple and perfectly apocarpous fruits. Each pistil, as a rule, ripens 
-nto an indehiscent one or several-seeded, often pulpy, berry with membranous, leathery or 
occasionally woody or bony pericarp which is in some instances highly coloured. ‘Truly 
follicular fruits are found only in Anazagorea ; but the elongated fruits of certain species 
of Xylopia and Alphonsea dehisce in an irregular way. As a rule, the ripe carpels of 
Anonacee are ovoid or globular; more or less elongated pod-like fruits are, however, not 
uncommon. Some of the latter, ¢g., those of many species of Unona and of some species 
of Orophea, ave not only much elongated, but are also constricted between the seeds, 
Traces of constriction in more or less elongated fruits are also to be met with in other 
genera, It is found, however, that, from the form of the fruit, characters. of only 
specific value can be taken, In many species of Anonacece the ovules in each ovary are 
numerous; in others they are reduced to two or even to one. In the latter case the 
ovules are usually ascending, but in a few they are basilar and erect. In cases where 
the ovules are numerous, the direction of individuals varies with their position on the 
placenta, being descending, horizontal or ascending, according as they are attached near 
its apex, middle or base. The arrangement of the ovules in a multi-ovular placenta 
in either a single or in double vertical row is really a matter of no importance ; 
for it is regulated by the exigencies of space and pressure during the swelling of the 
ovules after fecundation. | 
It should not be forgotten in connection with this character that originally every 
placenta is double. The number of the ovules in a pistil, and their arrangement in cases 
where they are numerous, are not characters which are co-related to others in a way 
which makes them of much real value to the systematist except in an artificial manner. 
An illustration of the use of this character in the latter manner is found in the separation 
of Ellipeia from Uvaria by the number of the ovules, the floral organs in these genera 
being in other respects practically alike. As already mentioned, the seeds of this family 
contain invariably a large quantity of ruminate albumen which, in some species, is 
penetrated by membranous projections or septa proceeding from the integuments. The 
embryo is always small, and, in some species, it is minute. The integuments of the seed 
are usually thin and almost invariably smooth, but, when dry, there often cling to the 
testa shrivelled masses of the pulp which in so many species fills the spaces between the 
seeds; and such dried masses appear often to have been mistaken for an arillus. No 
doubt, however, a small true arillus does occur in a few species. Observations on the 
behaviour of the seeds of the family in germination have hitherto been confined to that 
of certain species of Anona, On this subject I make the following extract from Sir 
John. Lubbock’s recently published and most interesting work ‘On Seedlings” :— 
a The seedlings of Anona are strong and vigorous, but present a singular anomaly, inasmuch as the 
cotyledons are In some species torn from the axis during germination. The. seeds of A. Jaurifolia split 
longitudinally, the strong radicle strikes straight downwards, fixing the seedling firmly in the soil, and the 
hypocotyl forms an ascending or elongating loop. The large seed remains under ground, while the hypocotyl 
at length pulls out the plumule, and straightens, leaving the cotyledons behind. Ifa seed is cut open at 
this point the cotyledons are seen to be oblong or oval,- obtuse, petiolate, almost equalling the length and 
breadth of the seed, and much undulated or wrinkled in order to accommodate themselves to the inequalities 
of the. much ruminated endosperm, They exhibit an ascending, incuryed, feather-nerved’ venation yery. 
