APPENDAGES TO SEEDS. 239 



&c. In Seeds, the Wing is commonly solitary, ex- 

 cept some Umbelliferous plants, as Thapsia, Gcertn. 



r. 21. 



Seeds are occasionally furnished with Spines, 

 Hooks, Scales, Crested appendages, particularly a 

 little gland-like part near the Scar, sometimes denom- 

 inated Strophiolum, as in Asariim, G^rtn. t. 14, Bos- 

 si(sa, Ventenat, Jard. de Cels. t. 7, Platylobium, Bot. 

 of N. Holl. t. 6, Ulex, Spartium, &c. In general 

 however smoothness is characteristic of a seed, by 

 which it best makes its way into the soft earth, 

 though sometimes it is barbed, or at least its cover- 

 ing, as in Stipa^ Engl. Bot. 1356, that it may not easi- 

 ly be withdrawn again by the powerful feathery ap- 

 pendage of that plant, which after having by its cir- 

 cumvolutions forced the seed deeper and deeper, 

 breaks off a joint, and flies away. 



The viuious modes by which seeds are dispersed 

 cannot fail to strike an observing mind with admira- 

 tion. Who has not listened in a calm and sunny day 

 to the crackling of Furze buohes, caused by the ex- 

 plosion of their little elastic pods ; nor watched the 

 down of innumerable seeds floating on the summer 

 breeze, till they are overtaken by a shower, which 

 moistening their wings stops their further flight, and 

 at the same time accompHihes its final purpose, by 

 immediately promoting tht germination of each seed 

 in the moist earth ? Hjw little are children aw^, as 

 they blow away the seeds of Djndelion, or stick Burs 

 in sport upon each other's clothes, that they are fulfil- 

 ling one of the great ends of Nature ! Sometimes 



