368 NATVBAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



entire or lobate. The three lower are usually declinate. The 

 anthers are bUocular, introrse, dehiscent by two longitudinal clefts.^ 

 The gyneeceum is composed of a trilocular oyary surmounted by a 

 simple style, with undilated stigmatiferous apex. In the internal 

 angle of each cell is a placenta supporting two ovules, horizontal, or 

 more often directed inversely. One of these, attached below, is 



^seulus Mippoeastanum. 



Fig. 406. Longitudinal 

 section of flower. 



Fig. 407. Seed. 



Fig. 404. Portion of inflorescence. 



Fig. 408. Longitudinal 

 section of seed. 



ascendent with the micropyle inferior and exterior; the other 

 is descendent, with micropyle turned upwards and inwards.^ The 

 fruit is a thick coriaceous loculicidal capsule, spherical or nearly so, 

 the surface smooth or bristling with points. The cells, one to three in 

 number, contain one or two seeds whose exalbuminous embryo has 

 two large hemispherical fleshy cotyledons, often conferruminate, and 

 an arched conical radicle, involved in a sort of sheath forming the 



• In tte species otserved (H.Mohl, Ann. 

 Sc. Nat. ser. 2, iii. 337) : the pollen is " elUp- 

 soide ; trois plis ; dans I'eau, sphere k trois 



bandes avec trois papilles {jEsculm maerostachya, 

 M.flma, M. Hippoeastanuni)." 

 ' The ovular coat is double. 



