DEHISCENT SYNOARPOUS FEUITS. 315 



stony hardness, while the outer pulpy covering is open at the summit. 

 The stones of the Medlar are called pyrence {m^rjv, the stone of fruit) ; 

 some apply the term nuculanium (nucula, a nut) to the Medlar. Taking 

 this view of the Pome it may be said to resemble the fruit^of the Eose, 

 with this difference, that the Rose produces achenes, and the Pome 

 closed foUioles. In Comus mascula (fig. 569, 1, 2) there are two stony 

 ceUs, n, surrounded by the fleshy epicarp and mesocarp, and as they 

 are close together, and one is often abortive (fig. 569, 2, I), there is a 

 direct transition to the Drupe. 



Dehiscent Syncaepous Fruits. — The Capsule (capmla, a little 

 chest). This name is applied generally to all dry syncarpous fruits, 

 which open by valves or pores. The valvular capsule is observed in 

 Digitalis (fig. 541, p. 304), Hibiscus esculentus (fig. 545, p. 304), 

 Cedrela angustifolia (fig. 546, p. 304), Mahogany (fig. 547, p. 305), 

 and Cerastium triviale (fig. 540, p. 303). The porose capsule is seen 

 in the Poppy (fig. 444, p. 249), Antirrhinum majus (fig. 558, p. 308), 

 and Campanula persicifdlia (fig. 557, p. 308). Sometimes the capsule 

 opens by a lid, or by circumscissile dehiscence, and it is then called a 

 Pyxidiwm (pyxis, a box), as in Anagallis arvensis (fig. 554, p. 307), 

 Henbane (fig. 555, p. 307), and Monkey-pot (Lecythis). The capsule 

 assumes a screw-like form in Helicteres, and a star-like or stellate 

 form in Illicium anisatum. In certain instances the cells of the 

 capsule separate from each other, and open with elasticity to scatter 

 the seeds. This kind of capsule is met with in the Sandbox tree 

 (Hura crepitans), and other Euphorbiacese, where the cocci, containing 

 • each a single seed, burst asunder with force (fig. 549, p. 305) ; and in 

 GeraniacesB, where the cocci, each containing, when mature, usually 

 one seed, separate from the carpophore, and become curved upwards 

 by their adherent styles (fig. 551, p. 306). In the former case, the 

 fruit collectively has been called Regma [griy/ia, a rupture). 



The Siliqua (siliqua, a husk or pod) (fig.' 552, p. 306) may be con- 

 sidered as a variety of the capsule, opening by two valves ; these are 

 detached from below upwards, close to the sutures, bearing thin parietal 

 placentas, which are united together by a prolongation called a replum, 

 or spurious dissepiment dividing the fruit into two. The seeds are 

 attached on either side of the replum, either in one row or in two. 

 When the fruit is long and narrow, it is called Siliqua ; when broad 

 and short, it is called SiUcula. It occurs in cruciferous plants, as 

 WaUflower, Cabbage, and Cress. The sUiqua may be considered 

 as formed of two carpels and two parietal placentas united together 

 so as to form a two-celled seed-vessel. Some say that in its normal 

 state it consists of four carpels, and that two of these are abortive. 

 There are four bundles of vessels in it, one corresponding to each 

 valve, which may be called valviila/r or pericarpial, and others running 

 along the edge called placental. The replum consists of two lamellae. 



