262 



F. H. Her rich — Abnormal Hickory Nuts. 



endocarp has at this early stage, as we would expect, the form 

 characteristics of the mature nut. Eormal fertilization thus 

 leads very early to the normal outlining of the fruit. 



While I can find no direct evidence of hybridism from a 

 study of the minute anatomy of the structure, I consider it 

 highly probable that this variation arose at the time of fertili- 

 zation, which was in some way abnormal, and must content 

 myself for the present with giving the known facts. When 

 similar cases are discovered, they may afford botanists more 

 secure ground for speculations in regard to their cause.^ 



Adelbert College, May, 1896. 



DESCEIPTION OF FIGUEES. 

 Figure 1, Plate V, — a. Internal stem removed from abnormal nut (A). 



6. 



mould " 



Figure 2. 



Figure 3. 



Figure 4. 



Figure 5. 



Figure 6. 



Figure 7. 



Figure 8 



Figure 9. 



Figure 10 

 Figure 11. 

 Figure 12. 



Half of endocarp of abnormal nut (A), showing the 

 of the stem and inner nut. 



c. Half of endocarp (A) showing the internal acorn-like nut. 



d. Half of endocarp of abnormal nut (B) from the outer side. 



e. Half of endocarp of abnormal nut (B) from inside. In this 

 case the fusion of the stem to the inner nut was more com- 

 plete. 



All from photograph. Natural size. 



— Endocarp of Carya sulcata (Western Shell-bark Hickory). 

 Lateral view. One-half natural size. 



— Transverse section of the same, showing normally folded cotyle- 

 dons within the shell. One-half natural size. 



— Half of abnormal endocarp (A). Line drawing of fig. 1. b. 

 One-half natural size. 



— Endocarp of abnormal nut (A) seen in transverse section, show- 

 ing outer shell, shell of inner nut (shaded blajck), and folded 

 cotyledons. One-half natural size. 



— Meat of abnormal nut (A) removed from inner shell, some of 

 the tissue of the hilum clinging to the top. Natural size. 



— Transverse section through the meat of abnormal nut (A) show- 

 ing foldings of the cotyledons, in the plane indicated at the 

 right. Four times natural size. 



. — Transverse section through meat of abnormal nut (A), showing 

 foldings of the cotyledons, in plane indicated at the right, 

 four times natural size. 



— Part of transverse section of endocarp of normal hickory nut 

 from point indicated at the right, showing superficial scleren- 

 chyma, the tiers of deeper cells lying vertical to the surface. 

 The cell-walls are pierced with numerous branching canals, and 

 enclose crystals (possibly calcium oxalate) and secondary deposits 

 of a brown color, x 124. 



, — Part of transverse section of abnormal endocarp (A), taken 

 from a point near surface indicated at the right, x 124. 



— Sclerenchyma from transverse section of shell of inner nut 

 from point near surface shown at right, x 124. 



— Stem of abnormal nut (A). Lateral view. Enlarged about 

 four times. 



* The interesting communication, in Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 1880, 

 p. 54, noting the occurrence of fruits having a very thick endocarp and possess- 

 ing a transformed axis, should be examined in connection with the case here 

 mentioned. 



