652 



BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT 



characteristic for many of the Compositae. The individual fruit is a dry 

 inferior achene or nut, attached by a long beak to the parachute-like pappus. 



Fig. 502. 



Head of Dandelion in vertical section, i — involucre. gr = general receptacle. 



See Text. 



These fruits are easily detached by wind, being exposed on the convex growth 

 of the receptacle, owing to the curving back of the involucre (Fig. 247, p. 326). 

 They are thus scattered long distances by the wind. The success of the 

 Compositae as a Family depends largely upon the certainty of each floret 

 producing a good fruit, and on the effective dispersal of the fruit by the 

 wind. 



