UMBELLIFERM. 



153 



bilocular, dehiscing by two longitudinal clefts.' The ovary, inferior, 

 fills the cavity of the receptacle, which envelopes it entirely or leaves 

 the upper portion free. The latter supports a style divided to a 

 variable extent, often even to the base, into five branches superposed 

 to the petals and stigmatiferous at the extremity. The ovary has 



Aralia (Fatsia) Japonicie. 



Fig. 187. Hower (}). 



Fig. 188. Long. sect, of flower. 



five oppositipetalous cells in the internal angle of each of which is 

 one ^ descending, anatropous ovule with micropyle ^ directed upwards 

 and outwards. The fruit is a drupe crowned with the styles and the 

 calyx or their scars, a,nd the five putamens enclose each a descending 

 seed with thin coats* covering a fleshy or homy albumen in the 

 summit of which is lodged a small embryo with superior radicle 

 (fig. 189, 190). 



These plants are woody or herbaceous, glabrous or pubescent, 

 sometimes covered with hairs or prickles. The leaves are alternate, 

 digitate or pinnate, compound, or decompound, or tematipinnate, 

 with the folioles ordinarily serrulate. The base is without or with 

 little developed stipules. The flowers^ are in solitary umbels, simple 

 or compound, or in umbels united in a terminal cluster, with small 

 bracts and pedicels articulate at the summit, which may be prolonged 

 ar-ound the base of the ovary in a small sometimes cuplike collar. 



' The pollen of the Araliece is generally the 

 same aa that of other TTmbelliferce. 



^ Two originally ; hut one is early ahorted, 

 as in the UmbelUferee proper (Payeb, loc. cit, 

 410). 



' There is only one envelope and often very 

 incomplete or even almost nil. 



* They may even he reduced to one or to 

 some layers of cellules. 



5 Small, white, yeUow or greenish. 



