ULMAOE^. 



146 



Mir us niira. 



sepals, in prefloration alternately imbricate in the bud, and four 

 superposed stamens, inserted under a sligbtly developed rudiment 

 of the gynsecium. Each of these is formed of a jfilament inflexed 

 and incurved in prefloration, afterwards elastically straightened 

 at the time of anthesis, and of a bilobular introrse anther dehiscing 

 by t"wo longitudinal clefts. The calyx of the female is similar to 

 that of the male flower and surrounds ^ a free gynsecium, formed of a 

 unilocular ovary" surmounted by a style, soon divided into two 

 divergent, subulate branches, covered internally with stigmatic 

 papillse. Under the summit of the cell is inserted a descending 

 ovule, with micropyle directed upwards and outwards.* The fruit 

 becomes a drupe with sarcocarp of little 

 thickness, especially along the faces of the 

 depressed putamen. It is surrounded by per- 

 sistent sepals, become fleshy and succulent, 

 packed closely together. The descending 

 seed encloses under its integuments a fleshy 

 albumen which surrounds a recurved embryo, 

 with oblong and fleshy cotyledons and incum- 

 bent radicle, at the summit directed upwards. 

 The Mulberries are trees and shrubs, with 

 milky or opal juice, inhabiting all the warm 

 regions of the globe. They have alternate, 

 distichous, entire, dentate or lobed leaves, with, the petiole accom- 

 panied by two lateral caducous stipules. The flowers are axillary. 

 The male inflorescence resembles a cylindrical or slightly com- 

 pressed catkin. But following their development, as we have 

 done,* the axis of these apparent spikes is found to be a blade 

 more or less elongate and flattened, bearing upon one part of 

 its surface only, a very large number of small cymes or glomerules, 

 whilst the remainder is bare. It is, therefore, a mixed inflores- 

 cence, and it is the same as what has been described as the female 

 spike or catkin. Of Mulberries a score of species ^ have been 

 described ; the number ought to be reduced to about half-a-dozen. 



Fig. 101. Compound fruit. 



• Between it and the pistil are seen, in early- 

 age, the stamens the development of which is 

 generally soon arrested. 



^ Dioarpellous and bilocular at first ; but one 

 of the two cells soon ceases to grow. 



VOL. VI. 



* Its coat is double. 



■* Compt. Bend. Acad. Se. Par. lii. 19 ; Adan- 

 sonia, loo. cit. 221, t. 8, fig. 9-11. 



5 L. Speo. (ed. 3), ii. 1398.— W. Spec. iv.p. i. 

 368.— Seu. Besor. et Cult. des. Mur. 191.— LoVD. 



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