19 
the impatiens noli me tangere, the seeds will be immediately rejected with 
violence. The same is still more conspicuous in the spirting cucumber, where 
the experiment is attended with some hazard to the sight. The seeds fly 
from eight to ten feet. If you press the humble sorrel, the oxalis corniculata, 
with your hand, you will be surprised to see the seeds immediately become 
scattered in every direction, more than a foot’s distance from the plant. 
The ligneous vessels of the capsule are finely displayed in a preparation 
of the thorn-apple, datura stramonium, as made by maceration in water, 
when the skin peeling off, and the parenchymatous part dissolving into pulp, 
leaves the ligneous and fibrous parts entire. Beautiful examples of these are 
likewise to be seen in the first private cabinet perhaps in Europe for the illus¬ 
tration of subjects of anatomy; I mean that of Mr. Heaviside, Surgeon to his 
Majesty, who, with his accustomed liberality and politeness, has offered what¬ 
ever might tend to assist this work. 
II. A Silique* (Siliqua) is apod in which the seeds are alternately fixed 
to either suture, or union of the valves, or shells, the seeds hanging by a 
thread, or peduncle, to the two sutures. When the pod is broader than long, 
it is called then a Silicle (Silicula), the diminutive of the last, from the 
seed-vessel being usually much smaller than in the other. 
III. KLegume\ (Legumen), a species of seed-vessel, enclosing a num¬ 
ber of seeds that are fastened along one suture only. 
IY. A Follicle ^ (Folliculus), a thin membranaceous seed-vessel, of 
one valve, opening longitudinally, or on one side, and having no apparent 
suture for fastening, or attaching the seeds within it. 
* Siliqua is derived from silo, a nose turned up, from the curve in this kind of seed-vessel. When 
antique, critique, and burlesque were first introduced into our language, they were written antick, 
critick, and burlesk: had this orthography obtained, we should have put this pericarp Silick, and 
thus have avoided the French termination. I shall not contend with any one who would retain the 
Latin final; nor with any other who would appropriate the English term pod to this, exclusive of the 
legume. Martin. 
'f' Pod is used for legume, silique, and silicle, indifferently; but they are so distinct, as is seen by 
the attachment of the seeds, that they ought not to have the same appellation. It seems best, there¬ 
fore, to Anglicise the Latin terms; and with respect to this term, there is no danger of offending the 
English ear. Martin. 
The word Legume is derived from legere, to collect, because these are usually collected by the 
hand. 
+ Diminutive from follis, a pair of bellows, the Follicle being usually swelled out with air, as in 
asclepias. 
