POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 609 



GYNCECIUM :— 



Ovaey. — Of two distinct carpels, superior, and enclosed within the 

 " Staminal column." 



Ovules. — Numerous, anatropous, pendulous, multiseriate. Pla- 

 centas on ventral suture ; nerviform (Decaisne and Lemaout). 

 Micropyle apical. 



Styles. — Two, short ; subulate (i. £., shaped like a cobbler's awl) ; 

 closely adherent to each other in the stigma, but quite free below. 



Stigma. — Common to both the styles ; dilated ; depressed (Hooker) ; 

 sulcated down the middle (Wight) ; five-lobed, forming an acute- 

 angled pentagon ; the bases of the angles alternate with the 

 anthers ; the angle itself each bearing a gland-like corpusele 

 terminating below in two processes which, about the time of the 

 expansion of the flower, become firmly attached to the apices 

 of the corresponding pollen-masses (Wight). Thus " Included 

 between the anthers," as Hooker graphically describes, the stigma 

 is short, broad, truncate, fleshy, almost cartilaginous ; beautifully 

 purple, and dark brown at the angles. The bases of the pentagon 

 are fringed with a thin, whitish, transparent fold of delicate structure. 



FRUIT. — Consists of two distinct follicles, pointing opposite ways. 

 Often one is abortive. The follicles are short, thick (Hooker) ; semi- 

 ovate, says Brandis. " Ovoid, ventricose, green, herbaceous" (Dalz. and 

 Gib.) ; glabrous, rugose, inflated. Between the outer and inner coats 

 of the follicle there are several large fibrillar spaces. 



Seeds. — Quarter inch long, broadly ovate (Hooker); numerous, 

 compressed, close-packed in a scaly manner, overlapping one another ; 

 hence termed by Wight " imbricate." This is well illustrated in the 

 open follicle (Fig. 5) in the accompanying plate. Some Botanists 

 describe the seed as marginate. Others say that the entire margin is 

 slightly winged, and ovoid in form. The special feature of the seed 

 is the comose tuft at its apes. When seeds lie close packed within the 

 follicle, the comose tuft is placed away from the base of the follicle, so 

 that as soon as the follicle bursts, the tuft expands and forces the seed 

 out of the follicle. The comse at times are very dense, silvery white 

 and shining in the fresh condition, turning brownish on exposure, or 

 by age. When the seeds ripen, the placenta shrivels. Thus detached, 

 they lie ready to disperse. As soon as the follicle bursts at its ventral 



