206 
PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 
The Follicle or pod is a dry, simple capsular fruit formed of a 
single carpel which dehisces by one suture. This is usually the 
ventral suture as in Aconite, Staphisagria, Larkspur and some other 
Ranunculacece, but may be the dorsal suture as in Magnolia, 
Fig. 99 (i). 
A Legume is a dry simple capsular fruit formed of a single carpel 
and dehiscent by both ventral and dorsal sutures. Examples: Peas, 
Beans, etc. The legume is typical of most Leguminosce, Fig. 99 (8). 
A Capsule is a fruit formed of two or more carpels which dehisce 
longitudinally or by apical teeth or valves. Examples: Cardamon, 
Poppy, Iris, etc., Fig. 99 (2 and 3). 
A Pyxis or Pyxidium is a capsular fruit formed of two or more 
carpels that dehisce transversely. Examples: Hyoscyamus, Portu- 
laca. The upper portion forms a lid which fits upon the lower pot¬ 
like portion, Fig. 99 (4). 
A Regma is a capsular fruit of two or more carpels that first splits 
into separate parts and then each of these dehisces. This type of 
fruit is typical of Hura crepitans (Sandbox), Pelargonium and 
Geranium, Fig. 99 (5). 
A Siliqua is a long slender one or two-celled capsule, often with a 
spurious membranous septum (when two-celled) and two persistent 
parietal plafcentae, the valves opening from below upward. Ex¬ 
amples: Chelidonium and Wallflower, Fig. 99 (6). 
A Silicule is a short siliqua in which the length is never much 
greater than the breadth. Example: Cochlearia. Fig. 99 (7). 
II. Schizocarpic Fruits. —A Carcerulus or Nutlet is the typical 
fruit of the Labiatae but is also seen in the Borraginaceae. The ovary 
that has become four-celled at the time of flowering matures into 
four little pieces which split asunder lengthwise. Each split part 
is composed of one-half of a ripened carpel, Fig. 100 (2). 
A Cremocarp is the characteristic splitting fruit of the 
Umbellifer^e family. It consists of two inferior akenes or 
mericarps separated from each other by a forked stalk called a 
carpophore. These mericarps usually cling to the forks of the 
carpophore for a time after the cremocarp splits, but sooner or 
later fall, Fig. 100 (1). 
