CHAPTER XX. 



THE SEED'S TRAVELLING OUTFIT. 



Seeds are not only well supplied with food before beginning 

 their independent life, but every means is taken to arm and 

 equip them in such a way that they may travel far afield, to 

 find congenial soil. If they were to drop down under the 



Fig. 183. — Ripe seed of Epilobium, FiG. 184. — Leucadendron argen- 



with coronet of hairs (magnified). teuni, R. Br. Nut with persist- 



(From Thom^ and Bennett's ent style and calyx, the latter 



" Structural and Physiological split at its base and prevented 



Botany ".) from slipping off by the knobby 



stigma. (From Edmonds and 

 Marloth's " Elementary Bo- 

 tany for South Africa".) 



plant and remain there they would have a hard struggle for 

 existence in soil already exhausted. 



The flowers of Albuca hang downward and protect the 

 stamens and stigmas from rain. When the fruit ripens it 

 straightens up and splits lengthwise. The wind blows 

 through these slits and the seeds fly out and away. Had the 

 fruit remained hanging the seeds would be in danger of falling 

 in a heap beneath the plant. 



185 



