PMN ee cay eae Mee ey hc Ag 
Ch. XIV.] = LINN&US’ CLASSIFICATION OF PERICARPS. 8” 
350. Ist. Valves, are the pieces, whichfform the sides of 
the seed vessels. If a pericarp is formed of one piece, it is 
univalved ; the chestnut is of this kind. A pericarp with two 
valves is said to be bivalved,asa pea pod. The pericarp of the 
Violet is trivalved, that of the Stramonium qyadrivalved. 
Most valves separate easily when the fruit is ripe; this separa- 
tion is known by the term dehiscence. 
2d. Sutures or seams, are lines which show the union of 
valves; at their seams the valves separate in the mature stage 
of the plant. 
3d. Partitions or dissepiments, are internal membranes 
which. divide the pericarp into different cells; these are longi- 
_ tudinal when they extend from the base to the summit of the 
me 
Ek 
pericarp ; they are transverse when they extend from one side 
to the other. : 
351. Column or columella, the axis of the fruit; this is the 
central point of union of the partitions of the seed vessels ; it 
may be seen distinctly in the core of an apple. This was 
peed under the head of receptacles ; it isthe receptacle of the 
ruit. ( 
352. 4th. Cells, are divisions made by the dissepiments 
and contain the seeds; their number is seldom variable in the 
same genus of plants, and therefore serves as an important 
generic distinction. 
353. 5th. Receptacle, is that part of the pericarp to which 
the seed remains attached until its perfect maturity ; this organ, 
by means of connecting fibres, conveys to the seed for its nour- 
ishment, juices elaborated by the pericarp. 
354. Some plants are destitute of a pericarp, as in the labi- 
ate flowers, the compound flowers, and the grasses; in these 
cases the seeds lie in the bottom of the calyx, which performs 
the office of a pericarp. 
Linneus’ Classification of Pericarps. 
355. Linneus divided pericarps into the nine following 
classes; Capsule, Silique, Legume, Follicle, Drupe, Nut, 
Pome, Berry, and Strobilum. 
356. CapsuLe, signifies a little chest or casket; that-is a 
350. Describe each of these parts, 
351. What is the column ? 
352. What are cells ? 
353. What is the receptacle ? 
354, Are any plants destitute of a pericarp ? 
355. What is Linnzus’ division of pericarps? 
356. What is a capsule? 
