THE FRUIT. 147 



239. Any syncargous fruit having a dry dehiscent 

 pericarp is called a capsulo. The dehiscence of syncarpous 

 or polycarpellary fruits is of several kinds. If the rupture 

 takes place along the partitions the 

 fruit will be split up into its original 

 carpels ; this form of dehiscence is 

 septicidal (Fig. 203). But the 

 dehiscence may take place along the 

 dorsal suture of each carpel, half- 

 way between the partitions, so that 

 the opening is into the loculus ; this 

 ig. 203. mode is known as loculicidal (Fig. 



204). Or again, the valves (separ^e ^.^'^T***^ 



pieces of the pericarp) may fall away, r | > 



lea vyig the partitions standing ; this . | 



dehiscence is septifragal (Fig. 205). 



240. A long and slender capsule 

 having two ce^ls separated by a 

 membranous partition bearing the 

 seed, and from which^ when ripe, - F'Sf- 2oi- 



the valves fall away on each side, 

 is called a silique (Fig. 206). If, 

 as in Shepherd's Purse (Fig; 29)^ 

 I the capsule is short and broad, it is 

 called a silicle. If the capsule 

 opens horizontally, so that the to]) 

 comes off like a lid, as in Purslane 

 ^Kg. 205!" (Fig. 207), it is a^j.Va;«s. 



241. Any dry, one-seeded, indehiseent fruit is called an 

 -ichene, of which the fruit of Buttercup (Fig. 14) is an 



FifTB. 203, 204, 205.— Diagrams illustrating septicidal, loculicidal, and septi- 

 fragal deliiscciirf. 



k^ 



