^90 FUNCTIONS OF THE 



m, the most simple of all blossoms, is a remarkable ex- 

 ample. Few botanists indeed had detected them in 

 the Lemna or Duckweed, 60 abundant on the surface 

 of still waters, and Valisneri alone for a long time en- 

 grossed the honour of having seen them. In our days 

 however they rewarded the researches of the indefati- 

 gable Ehrhart in Germany, and on being sought with 

 equal acuteness, were found in England. 



Plants indeed have occasionally abortive stamens in 

 one flower and barren pistils in another, and the Plan- 

 tain-tree, Musa, is described by Linnaeus as having five 

 out of its six stamens perfected in such blossoms as ri- 

 pen no fruit, while those with a fertile germen contain 

 only a single ripe stamen, five being ineffective. This 

 only shows the resources, the wisdom, and the infinite 

 variety of the creation. When the roots are luxuriant- 

 ly prolific, the flowers are in some measure defective. 

 Nature, relaxing as it were from her usual solicitude, 

 and allowing her children to repose, an<? indulge in the 

 abundance of good things about them. But when 

 want threatens, she instantly takes the alarm ; all her 

 energies are exerted to secure the future progeny, 

 even at the hazard of the parent stock, and to send 

 them abroad to colonise more favourable situations. 



Most generally the access of the pollen is not trusted 

 to any accidental modes of conveyance, however nume- 

 rous, elaborate, and if we may so express it, ingenious, 

 such modes may be ; but the Stamens are for greater 

 security lodged in the same flower, under the protec- 

 tion of the same silken veils, or more substantial guards, 

 which shelter their appropriate pistils. This is the 

 case with the majority of our herbs and shrubs, and 

 even with the trees of hot countries, whose leaves being 

 always present might impede the passage of the pollen*. 



