FRUITS 



165 



Fig. 229.— 

 Akenes of 

 Buttercup. 



Fjg. 230. — Akeni s 

 OF Buttercup, 

 one in longitudi- 

 nal section. 



Pericarps. — The simplest pericarp is a dry, one- 

 seeded, indehiscent body. It is known as an akene. A 

 head of akenes is shown in Fig. 229, and the 

 structure is explained in Fig. 

 230. Akenes may be seen in 

 buttercup, hepatica, anemone, 

 smartweed, buckwheat. 



A i-loculed pericarp which 

 dehisces along the front edge 

 (that is, the inner edge, next 

 the center of the flower) is a follicle. The fruit of the 

 larkspur (Fig. 231) is a follicle. There are usually five of 

 these fruits (sometimes three or 

 four) in each larkspur flower, each 

 pistil ripening into a follicle. If 

 these pistils were united, a single 

 compound pistil would be formed. 

 Columbine, peony, ninebark, milk- 

 weed, also have follicles. 



A i-loculed pericarp that de- 

 hisces on both edges is a legume. 

 Peas and beans are typical exam- 

 ples (Fig. 232); in fact, this character gives 

 name to the pea family, — Leguminosse. 

 Often the valves of the 

 legume twist forcibly and 

 expel the seeds, throwing 

 them some distance. The 

 word " pod " is sometimes restricted to 

 legumes, but it is better to use it generi- 

 cally for all dehiscent pericarps. 



A compound pod — dehiscing peri- 

 carp of two or more carpels — is a capsule (Figs. 233, 234, 



Fig. 232.— a 

 Bean Pod. 



Fig. 233. — Capsule of 

 Castor - oil Bean 

 after Dehiscence. 



