Page 55 - Pharmacognosy 02-06203

* The ovules: are anatropous, with a raphe which is present in the commissural surface.

* The apex of the fruit is crowned with a small nectar-disc (the styloped), surrounding the
branched styles and the remains of the 5 sepals may be present.

* Each mericarp has a flat surface, the commissural side and a rounded one, the dorsal
side.

* The dorsal surface is usually marked by 5 primary ridges; and either 4 pale furrows e.g.
Fennel, Anise, ..) or small (Ammi visnaga, A. Majus,).

* According to the character of the transverse section of the seed on the commissural
surface, they are classified into:

a- Orthospermous: If the seed is flat on the commissural surface e.g. Fennel,
Anise, Visnaga, Majus, Caraway, Dill, Cumin,.......

b- Coelospermous: If it is concave, e.g. Coriander.

c- Campylospermous: if it is longitudinally grooved, e.g. Hemlock.

• Microscopical Characters:

1- The epicarp: consists of polygonal, tabular cells with few stomata, cuticle (smooth,
striated, pappilose) and with or without calcium oxalate crystals.

2- The mesocarp: parenchymatous and is traversed longitudinally by 5 firbovascular
bundles (F.V.B), running from the base to the apex under the primary ridges. Between
the ridges (furrows) there are long schizogenous ducts "vittae" extend from the base to
the apex and alternate with the F.V.B. (commonly 4 on the dorsal side and 2 on the
commissural, sometimes branched ( Anise ) or completely absent as in Hemlock.

Each vitta is spindle in shape, tapering towards both ends, being lined with brown
epithelial cells (secreating cells) and divided by transverse partitions into chambers. In
T.S. they appear elliptical.

3- The endocarp: is formed of groups of narrow parallel elongated cells, each group
(57 cells) originating from a single mother cells e.g. Anise and Caraway. Many of these
groups are sometimes arranged in different directions giving a parquetry structure in
surface view and in T.S. they appear as long narrow, rectangular cells with groups of very
short cells e.g. Fennel, Coriander, Visnaga, Majus, Dill, Cumin,.. 4- The seed: is
albuminous with a raphe (derived from anatropous ovule).

a. The testa: is usually attached to the endocarp and consists of brownish, tangentially
elongated cells and few layers of collapsed cells.

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