DEHISCENT FRUITS 



;9 



109. Union of Carpels. — The carpellary leaves may unite 

 either by their open edges, as if a whorl like that repre- 

 sented in Figure TJ, were to grow together by the margins 

 (Fig. 173); or each may first roll itself 

 into a simple follicle like the larkspur 

 and columbine (Fig. 175), and then a 

 number of these may unite by their 

 ventral sutures into a single syncarpous 



173 



173. — Plan of one-celled 

 ovary formed by the union 

 of open carpellary leaves 

 (Gray). 



174. — Cross section of 

 one-celled syncarpous cap- 

 sule of frostweed, with 

 parietal placentas (Gray). 



17s 



175. — Follicles of 

 larkspur borne on 

 the same torus, but 

 distinct. 



capsule, with as many cells as there are carpels (Fig. 177). 

 The seed-bearing sutures being all brought together in the 

 center, the placenta becomes central or axial. In the first 



176 



176. — Pods of eche- 

 veria, contiguous, but 

 distinct. 



177. — Capsule of col- 

 chicum, with carpels united 

 into a syncarpous pod. 



178 



178. — Capsule of com 

 cockle, with free axile 

 placenta. 



case (Fig. 174) the open carpels form a one-celled capsule, 

 though the placentas sometimes project, as in the cotton 

 and okra, so far as to produce the effect of true partitions 

 with central placenta (Fig. 164). In one-celled capsules. 



