94 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



The beautiful scarlet and orange blossoms of Gloriosa 

 are borne up against their glossy background of trees by the 

 coiled tips of their leaves. Littonia and Flagellaria have 

 a similar habit. They can grow erect for some time without 

 a support, and so no tendrils are borne on the tips of the 

 lower leaves. 



Hook Climbers. — Some plants like Asparagus and 

 Dog Roses lean against others for support; The recurved 

 thorns or prickles which ward off animals serve to fix and 

 support the plant. The ivy climbs by means of roots (haustoria) 

 which grow out along the stem. 



Fig. 96. — The petioles of Clematis act as tendrils. 



Plants in dry open places, on the other hand, are less con- 

 genial. Their chief concern is to appropriate as much soil as 

 possible to the exclusion of others of their own or of different 

 kinds. Some species of Brunsvigia and Hcemanihus spread 

 their flat leaves closely upon the ground, preventing others from 

 gaining a foothold, and smothering any weaker plant which 

 may have taken root in the soil which their leaves can cover. 

 So the plants appropriate water and food material from a wide 

 area. 



Foreign Immigration. — Have you ever thought how 

 much or how little South Africa owes to other countries for 



