FRUITS 65 
Compound Compound fruits may consist of : as eee 
Fruits. number of follicles, ¢.g., Columbine, Aconite ; 
(2) a number of achenes, ¢.g, Buttercup, Rose ; (3) a number 
of drupes, ¢.g., Blackberry, Raspberry. 
There is no part of botany more perplexing to the beginner 
than the structure of - | 
fruits. It is essential 
to bear in mind that 
every flower forms 
a fruit, that it arises 
from the ovary, (some- 
times from some other 
part of the flower as 
well), and that the 
seeds it contains have 
been developed from 
the ovules. 
Then in examining a 
fruit it is helpful to 
= P Fic. 85.—Mepian VERCICAL SECTION OF 
note the following APPLE. 

points : re, receptacle ; c, carpels; k, seeds (pips) 
Po the feast enclosed in brown testa. 
is simple or compound. If compound, it is sufficient to examine 
one of the simple fruits of which the compound fruit is com- 
posed. | 
2. The number of carpels of which the simple fruit con- 
sists. 
3. Its position, whether superior or inferior. 
4, Its mode of dehiscence, if any. 
5. The number of its seeds. 
Thus, supposing the fruit of a Columbine is being examined, 
it is clear that it is compound, for five or six simple fruits will 
be present. Lach fruit must be formed of one carpel, for the 
fruit can only be compound when the carpels have not united. 
The ridge of attachment of floral organs underneath shows 
that the fruit is superior; it does dehisce, and only along 
the inner edge. In every particular this answers to the 
