220 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



in size to others which have grown to the very point 

 of bursting open. Further, the habit appears to be 

 dropped and acquired according to circumstances ; as 

 is shown by the Yellow Pansy, which has no cleisto- 

 gamic flowers in its native hilly habits, but develops 

 them when brought into the plains. The cleistogamic 

 habit is not confined to any particular order of 

 plants, although herbaceous kinds are those which 

 chiefly adopt it. We can only explain its origin as 

 an act of floral bankruptcy. 



It has already been pointed out that some 

 plants bring forth flowers which are habitually self- 

 fertilised, in which case the flowers are always small 

 and inconspicuous. There is little doubt this resort to 

 self-fertilisation is an act of poverty — an inability on 

 the part of the plant to expend much energy on 

 inflorescence. Compare the Common Groundsel 

 {^Senecio vulgaris), a miserable and unattractive little 

 annual — fortunate in still possessing the mechanical 

 contrivance (^pappus) peculiar to its order, or it 

 would soon be extinct — with the Ox-eye Daisy 

 {Chrysantheminn leiicantheinuni) and Corn Marigold 

 {ChrysanthemiLni segetuin)^ or the larger Sun-flower. 

 The Groundsel has lost those external ray -florets 

 which give to the latter plants their greatest attrac- 

 tion. A few of the near relations of the Groundsel, 

 such as Senecio znscosiis and Senecio sqiialidiLS, are 

 little better off in this respect, and appear to be on 

 the downward path. 



