238 
THE FRUIT 
^Chinks 
in several places, one for each chamber of the 
ovary, an adaptation for releasing all the 
seeds. Thus the violet spreads its valves 
wide open and does it suddenly, by this 
means throwing its smooth, 
hard seeds to a distance of 
several feet. The capsule 
of the poppy opens at the 
top by a number of chinks 
which appear just under 
the projecting lid. The 
capsule remains upright on 
a stiff stalk, which tips this 
way and that when the 
wind blows, scattering the 
small seeds. The plantain 
has a capsule which opens with a lid exposing 
a mass of seeds which are easily blown about 
by the wind. The special adaptations of the plantain are 
that its stalk remains upright after snow falls and that the 
Figure 224.—Cross 
Section of Cu¬ 
cumber, a Pepo. 
(A Fleshy Fruit.) 
Note the three 
seed chambers. 
Figure 226. — 
Capsule of 
Poppy. 
This contains 
several cham¬ 
bers and numer¬ 
ous small seeds 
which are shed 
through the 
chinks when the 
wind tips the 
stiff stalk. 
Figure 225. — Capsule of Violet. 
A dry, dehiscent fruit formed from a 
compound carpel. Note the three cham¬ 
bers and the numerous seeds. The dry¬ 
ing of the capsule causes the seeds to be 
pinched off and sent a foot or two away. 
lid does not fall off until 
the ground is covered with 
snow. The light seeds in 
great numbers are blown 
on the snow and carried 
long distances when it is 
smooth. These adapta¬ 
tions cause plantain to 
become a troublesome 
weed. Purslane, another 
weed, opens its capsule in 
the same way. Sodoespor- 
tulaca, a cultivated plant. 
This form of capsule is 
called a pyxis or pyxidium. 
