THE ROMANCE OF SEED-SOWING. 143 



very slight touch causes it to suddenly separate itself from its 

 stalk, the sides contract, and through the end where it was 

 attached, the whole contents, both fluid and seeds, are sent with a 

 whizzing sound some feet in the air. An unwary traveller, 

 touching Eibalium, may quite easily obtain a baptism not to his 

 liking. Intense heat causes spontaneous separation from the stalk 

 without any touch. These examples of complete self-dispersion 

 may suffice. 



Of the cases where a partial dehiscence takes place, we may 

 name a few. 



Mouse-ear Chickweed {Cerasiiinii), found in almost any 

 wild spot, has its capsule tilted laterally at the tip, and opens 

 by ten minute teeth. The seeds rest safely until a high wind 

 comes along, when they are shaken out and carried away. 

 This places it in a superior position to that of ordinary Chick- 

 weed {Stellaria media), which opens all the way down, the seeds 

 falling on the adjacent ground. 



The beautiful Red Campion, with its bottle-shaped capsule, 

 also opens by ten teeth, and is admirably fitted for wind-disper- 

 sion. The Catch-fly of our corn-fields, Pink, and Primrose, 

 open in similar fashion. 



Another method is that of pores, or tiny circular holes near 

 the top, through which the seeds escape under the action of wind 

 after the plant has opened its ' windows.' These may be seen in 

 Mignonette, Snapdragon, Toad-flax, Canterbury Bell, and notably 

 in Poppy, where the overhanging edges of the circle of stigmas 

 protect the openings. The pores themselves are said to close in 

 wet weather. This I have not, as yet, ascertained to be the fact 

 myself. In those Canterbury Bells whose fruits are pende/if, the 

 capsules open at the base, which is of course uppermost in these 

 cases. We see, therefore, that it is a useful provision that ensures 

 the capsules opening above, so that the seeds may remain prison- 

 ers until the wind acts on their capsules, and afterwards on them- 

 selves, to carry them far afield. 



In Pimpernel and Plantain the capsules open by a circular 

 line entirely round the fruit, the top part coming off like a pill-box 

 cover. Here, again, the wind can act when the seeds are ready 

 for it. 



