COMPOSITE FAMILY 



group, a group whose flowers have acquired the abil- 

 ity to help one another. In each Dandelion head there 

 are from one hundred and fifty to two hundred sepa- 

 rate flowers. Each tiny flower has an open strap 

 corolla united below into a tube, five stamens whose 

 anthers have grown together, and a pistil with a di- 

 vided style. As each of the two hundred flowers 

 ripens a seed with a balloon attachment, we need not 

 wonder that the plant is a weed. The blossom opens 

 upon a very short stem, but as the seeds begin to mature 

 the stem lengthens, usually lying along the ground, and 

 when the globe of seeds is ready to expand it rises and, 

 erect, bears them into the air and sunshine. 



The plant is fortunate also in the character of its 

 involucre. In the bud tightly wrapped about the little 

 family of flowers, this protects them as if it were a 

 calyx. When the head expands the involucre bracts 

 open and turn back just far enough to make a shallow 

 cup to contain the flowers. After these have faded 

 the involucre closes up a second time to protect the 

 ripening seeds. Finally, when the last act in the life 

 history is approaching and the stem is ready to lift 

 the fairy seed globe into the air, the involucre folds 

 itself back out of the way and leaves each little seed 

 free to fly with its own parachute wherever the wind 

 may carry it. 



The Dandelion blooms early and blooms late, will 

 grow on all soils, and its blossoms brim with nectar so 

 that no insect need go away hungry. If insects do 

 not come it can fertilize itself. Considering all these 

 things, the wonder is not why there are so many Dande- 

 lions but why there are no more. 



The beauty of the Dandelion blossom is beyond 



220 



