METEORIC FLOWERS. 267 



During the day no trace of the plant can be seen, but 

 at seven o'clock in the evening there is a remarkable 

 change. As though called up at the stroke of a 

 fairy wand, the little blossoms, sparkling like gems, 

 are scattered thickly over the ground. Such a sight 

 is not readily forgotten. Let the experience of lovers 

 of flowers expand this theme upon our brief intro- 

 duction. 



There is another aspect of flowers, for which no 

 special provision is made in our arrangement of 

 chapters, but which is of equal interest, and that is 

 the extraordinary form which the floral organs 

 assume in many families of plants. We might 

 denominate such instances as are present to our 

 mind, as the " eccentricities of flowers." The link 

 which unites them to " meteoric flowers " is very 

 slender, but they are closely related to the object of 

 this volume. 



The " reason why " such strange forms are assumed 

 cannot always be determined, but in many instances 

 there is an undoubted connection between the form 

 and the object to be attained, namely the fertilisation 

 of the flower. For instance, it has been suggested 

 that the bright patch of colour on the petals of the 

 rhododendron is so placed with reference to the 

 inclination of the stamens, that insects, attracted by 

 the bright colour, and flying directly towards it, must 

 come into contact with the anthers, and disperse the 



