16 



jAtural history of plants. 



TropeBolmn {Ghymoearpus) pentaphylhim. 



above and within stigmatic papillse. In each ovary cell, of which 

 one is posterior and the other two anterior, there is in the internal 

 angle a single descendent anatropons ovule, with micropyle directed 

 upwards and outwards. ' The fruit is formed of three achenes, which 

 are detached from the central axis at maturity presenting a dry, 



sometimes very thick, more 

 or less spongy indehiscent 

 monospermous pericarp. 

 Under the coats of the seed 

 is contained a fleshy em- 

 bryo, the thick plano-convex 

 cotyledons surrounding by 

 their base a short superior 

 radicle. In some Nastur- 

 tiums of which the genus 

 Chymocarpus ^ has been 

 made (fig. 38, 39), the an- 

 terior petals are wanting or but little developed, and the fruit is 

 more fleshy than in the other species. This genus contains some 

 thirty species,^ all herbaceous, sometimes climbing, fleshy, sapid, 

 with alternate, petiolate, peltate or palmate leaves, angular, lobed or 

 dissected, exstipulate or more rarely accompanied by small setiform 

 or dissected stipules. The flowers * are axillary, solitary or peduncu- 

 late. All are natives of South America, especially of the temperate 

 regions. 



Fi"-. 38. Flower. 



Fig. 39. Long. sect. 

 of flower. 



' It has two coats. Upon the phenomena of 

 fecundation in the Nasturtiums ; upon their 

 emtryonal sac, and the curious tubular diver- 

 ticulum en cul de sac which this emits across the 

 ovule, on its hack and a little helow and outside 

 the micropyle, see; Schlbiden, in Nov. Act, 

 Nat. Cur. xix. 54, t. 8. — Schaoht, in Ann. 8c. 

 Nat. ser. 4, iv. 47.^Wilson, in Booh. Lond. 

 Journ. ii. 623. — Gib. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. 

 161. — A. Dickson, in Edinb. New FMl. Journ. 

 XT. (1863), t. 4. 



2 Don, in Trans. Linn. Soc. xvii. 13, 145. — 

 ScHLEiD. in Nov. Act. Nat. Cur. xix. 66, t.-8, 

 fig. 126.— Enbl. Gen. n. 6062.— H. Bn, Payer 

 Fam. Nat. 403. — Magallana Cat. Icon. t. 344 



(excl. fruct.). — DO. Prodr. i. 684.— Bndl. Gen. 

 n.6064. 



^ Cat. Icon. t. 395. — Jaco. Sort. Schcenir. t. 

 98.— E. et Pat. Fl. Per. iii. t. 313, 314.— Peiis. 

 Enchirid. i. 405.— A. S. H. PI. Us. Bras. t. 41, 

 43 ; Fl. Bras. Mer. i. 95. — PcEpp. et Endl. Nov. 

 Gen. et Spec. 1. 1. 35-38.— Link, Kl. et Ott. le. 

 Fl.Mar. t. 17.— Andr. in Bot. Jtepos. t. 617, 

 635.— C. Gat, Fl. CUL i. 407.— Kaest. Fl. 

 Columh. i. 145, t. li.—Bot. Mag. t. 23, 98, 3169. 

 3190, 3844, 3851, 3986, 4042, 4097, 4245, 4323, 

 4337, 4385.— Walp. ij«p. i. 466 ; ii. 820 ; v. 

 381 ; Ann. i. 142 ; ii. 237 ; iv. 397 ; vii 492. 



* Yellow, red, purple or bluish. 



