FLOWEES, PEFITS AND SEEDS. 



73 



accm). Mandrake or May apple (PodopJiyllum), Partridge- 

 berry {Mitchella) and Wintergreenberry {GauUherid), 

 besides Melons, Squashes, Pumpkins, Cu- 

 cumbers, Tomatoes, etc., aU of whicli 

 come under the head of edible fruits. In 

 'tropical and semi-tropical countries there 

 is still a greater number which I must 

 omit mentioning here, but nearly all will 

 be named elsewhere. 



Natttre of Seeds. — Seeds are embryo 

 plants, the mature, fecundated ovule, with 

 Fig 31- certain nutritive properties stored up 

 withm various protective organs. A seed 

 is also a living organism which separates from its parent, 

 and is then capable of becoming a new individual of the 

 same species. When mature they 

 contain various albuminous, ligne- 

 ous and oily compounds required 

 to supply the young plantlet with 

 nutriment during its early stages of 

 growth, or until roots are produced 

 through which it can obtain nutri- 

 ents from surrounding elements. 

 Some seeds acquire a stony hard- 

 ness when npe, as seen in the Ivory 

 Nut ; others remain soft and fleshy, as in the Horse- 

 chestnut, or partly fleshy and partly 

 liquid, as in the Cocoanut ; others, 

 like those of the maples and elms, are 

 soft, and the cotyledons leaf-like ; 

 others are of a starchy nature, as in 

 Oats, Buckwheat and the Onion. 



Seeds are usually enclosed in a peri- 

 carp or seed-vessel, which offers protec- 

 tion to the kernel and germ. Some- 

 times there are several of these protective organs, as seen 



Fig. 32. 



Q. p. PASTIQIATA. 



Kg. S3. 

 «J. TLNCTOBIA. 



