78 PRACTICAL BOTANT. 



persistent involucre, which takes the form of a cup (cupu- 

 la), as in the Oaks, or of a bur, as in Chestnut, or of a 

 leafy covering (in the Hazelnut). 



144. Samaea, or key-fruit, is either an achenium, or 

 any other indehiscent fruit, furnished with a wing. As 

 instances, we may mention the fruits of the Ash, Maple, 

 Elm. (Fig. 10 is the samara of Ulmus f ulva, with the cell 

 opened.) 



i, DEHISCENT DRY FEUITS. 



145. Dehiscent dry fruits are of two classes : those 

 from a simple pistil and those from a compound one. 



146. The FOLLICLE is a pod, resulting from a single 

 carpel, and opening at the ventral or inner suture, as in 

 Marsh-Marigold (Fig. 14), or in Spirasa, Asclepias, etc. 



147. Legume is a dry dehiscent fruit, from a simple 

 pistil, which splits open at both the ventral and dorsal su- 

 tures — that iSj by two valves, as in most of the Legumi- 

 nous plants. (Fig. 11.) 



148. The loment is a peculiar sort of pod, separating 

 transversely into two or more 1-seeded joints, which com- 

 monly fall away at maturity. These joints usually remain 

 closed, as in Desmodium (Fig. 12), but sometimes split 

 into two valves, as in Mimosa. 



149. The PYXIS, or pyxididm, is a many-seeded dry 

 fruit, which opens by a circular, transverse line, cutting 

 off the upper part as a lid (circumscissile dehiscence). 

 This sort of fruit belongs to Plantago, Portulaca (Fig. 6), 

 Hyoscyamus, Anagallis, etc. (The fruit of Amaranth is a 

 pyxis, as well as a utricle.) 



