COMPOUND PODS 



267 



other than the several stigmas and the well-marked 

 placentas, for believing that the pistil is com- 

 pound. We are again impressed with the infinite 

 variety in details, and with the importance of con- 

 sidering the meaning of even obscure features when 

 attempting to interpret any structure. 



315a. The pupil will find much to interest him in the inoon- 

 spieuous flowers of the mignonette; and the plant is one of the 

 easiest to grow. 



316. A pod of the common garden balsam is 

 seen in Fig. 258. It is 5-carpelled, but the par- 

 titions remain very thin, and 

 are often nearly obsolete in 

 the mature fruit. The large 

 black seeds are borne upon 

 axile placentae. When the pod 

 is fully ripe, the five valves 

 break apart and em-l up elas- 

 tically, the central column be- 

 ing torn away at the same 

 time and the seeds scattered. 

 A pod which has been thus 

 shattered is seen in Fig. 259. The dehis- 

 cence of the fruit, therefore, may be the fiq. 258. 

 means of forcefully disseminating the seeds. Pod of balsam. 



316a. The balsam is very easily grown from seeds. The cap- 

 sules mature in abundance in the fall. If one desires to see them 

 explode, he may pinch the noses of the fully ripe ones as they 



Fig. 257. 



Pod of mig- 

 nonette. 



