THE FRUIT. 



453 



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

 pistil is compound (gyna?cium syncarpous). 



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

 dehisce in three different wa_vs: ist. When the carpels spht 

 along the hne of their union 



with each other longitudi- 

 nally (scplicida/ dehiscence), 

 as in the azalea or rhodo- 

 dendron. 2d. When the 



(dQ^(r}0:^ 



£00 



s. 



/ 



SepUfrngat 



Fig. 



Diagrams illustrating three types (in cross- 



^r, ^ 1 f,Tt J 4i -1 uiagrams iHustrai 



carpels split ClOlcn the mid- section) of the dehiscence of dry fmits. Loc, 

 J7 7. /7 7- -J 7 J 7 • loculicidal; Sep, Septicidal, Septifragal. 



ale line (loculicidal dcliis- . t, ^ . f b 



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

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

 s_vncarpous capsules have but one locule, the partitions between 

 the different locules when voung ha\ing 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 sphts 

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



ripens and dries, a strong twisting ten- 

 sion is often produced, which sphts the 

 pod suddenlv, scattering the seeds. 



880. The silique. — In the toothwort, 

 shepherd's-purse, and nearly all of the 

 plants in the mustard family the fruit 

 consists of two united carpels, which 

 separate at maturity, lea\"ing the par- 

 tition wall persistent. Such a fruit is 

 a silique; when short it is a silicle, or 

 pouch. 



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

 sule which opens with a hd, as in the 



Fig. 476. plantain. 



Fruit ot sweet pea: a pod. ^ 



