92 OBJECT LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



185. But there are some kinds of fruit almost or quite des- 

 titute of a pericarp, consisting of naked seeds. On the pre- 

 •ceding page is a figure (30'1) of the Canada Yew, a _ trailing 

 shrub of New England and Canada. The fruit is a single 

 naked black seed, seated in a fleshy, coralline-red cup. The 

 cone (of Pine, Fir, &c.) is made iip of thick woody bracts, each 

 covering in their axils two or more winged seeds (Fig. 300). 



LESSON XXIV. 



// ^ CONCERNING THE SEE-DS. 



186. Last and most important is the seed, the perfected 

 ovule, containing the germ of a new plant like its parent 

 plant. The seed consists of a kernel and its shell. Place a 

 bean in water, and soon its softened shell or skin is easily 



, separated from the kernel. 



187. The shell of a seed may be of any- color, as white, 

 black, 'yellow, red, &c. ; may be polished and shining, or dull 

 and rough ; may be of any shape, as round, or oval, or egg- 

 shaped ; may be winged, as in Catalpa, or Tnay be clothed 

 with long hairs, called coma. The_ silk of Silk-^rass (Ascle- 

 pias) is the coma of the .seed, and cotton is the coma of 

 Cotton seed. The seed 'of Poplar (cotton-wood) or Willow- 

 is also furnished with coma. 



185. What plants have no pericarps ? Please describe a- cone of Pine ; 

 fruit of Tew. • 



186. What is the seed, ajid what does it contain ? Of what two parts 

 does it consist ? 



187. What do you remember concerning the color and shape ? Describe 

 the coma of a seed. 



