158 



MORPHOLOGY 



three forms of dehiscence are collectively called val- 

 vular, as the segments into which the pericarp 

 breaks up are like so many valves. Usually the 

 valvular dehiscence is complete, extending from the 

 top of the capsule to its bottom, but occasionally it 

 is incomplete, extending from the apex down to a 

 certain distance below, as in shial-kanta. 



{b) Simple Indehiscent Fruits. — Indehiscent fruits 

 may be classified in two groups, namely, (i) those 

 with a fleshy pericarp, and (2) those 

 with a membranous or woody peri- 

 carp. The first group consists of 

 two forms, namely, (i) drupe or 

 DRUPACEOUS, when the fleshy fruit 

 is one-seeded or occasionally two- 

 seeded ; and (ii) berry or berry- 

 like (bacca or baccate), when the 

 fleshy fruit is many-seeded. A typical 

 drupe is commonly called a stone 

 FRUIT, such as Mango (see fig. 137), 

 in which the pericarp consists of a 

 thin epicarp, a fleshy mesocarp, and 

 a bony endocarp enclosing one seed. 

 The bony endocarp in a drupe is known as a ston« 

 or anti. The fruit of tal-palm is also a drupe, but 

 it is often two- to three-seeded. Date or khejur is 

 drupe-like or drupaceous, but not a true drupe, because 

 the hard stone inside is not an endocarp. Fruits like 

 kala-jam are also drupaceous. Guava, Papaw, Plan- 

 tain, &c., are examples of berry. Fruits like bael. 

 Water-melon or tarmuz. Orange, &c., are berry-like 

 or baccate. The second group of indehiscent fruits 

 is either (i) achene, when the pericarp is thin, or 

 (ii) NUT, when the pericarp is thick and woody. The 

 fruit of chhagal-bati and Clematis (see fig. 144, a) 



Fig*. 142. — Capsule 

 of Poppy — Afingr or 

 Posto Plant i^Papaver 

 somtiiferum) 



