194 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



times when a judicious expenditure proves infinitely 

 more economical, because more advantageous, than 

 niggardly thrift. This principle is in operation 

 among all the Orchids, Lilies, Tulips, Daffodils, 

 Irises, etc. The sub-class to which they belong 

 has been christened Petaloidea because of the fact 

 that the calyx and its parts, which in most 

 plants are usually of a dull green, are in them as 

 beautiful both in colour and streak as the petals of 

 the flowers. Such plants have taken the calyx into 

 partnership for floral attractive purposes ; and hence 

 we have the most beautiful flowers in the world 

 developed by such a co-operation. It is therefore 

 not without reason the Great Teacher drew attention 

 to the " Lilies of the Field," or declared that 

 " Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one 

 of these !" 



Many of the plants in another sub-class, that of 

 Monochlainyds, bear flowers in which a similar floral 

 modification has taken place, and a perianth is 

 the result. Some of these produce very beautiful 

 flowers, as the Daphne, Bistort, etc., although a great 

 number of members of this class are wind -fertilised, 

 and therefore do not require any accessory floral 

 organs. But the latter are often present in a 

 stunted condition, dwarfed occasionally to micro- 

 scopical smallness. Sometimes the attractive efforts 

 of a flower are aided by one portion only of the 

 calyx being altered for the purpose, as in the 



