IPlantsfooD anD /IRotion 135 



There is still another motion, so peculiar that it 

 seems almost to be the result of plant preference. 

 This motion is called heliotropism — that is, sun- 

 loving or following. The name of that fragrant 

 flower, the heliotrope, will aid us to remember this 

 term. The heliotrope is a persistent sun-worshiper, 

 and received its name from its constant turning to- 

 ward the sun, the Greek name of the sun being Helios. 



Let us take the sunflower as an example of sun- 

 following. If we examine the stem we shall see that 

 its fibres are twisted, or swerved a little, by its con- 

 stant turning from side to side, in its habit of sun- 

 worship. It is early morning ; the broad golden disc 

 of the compound flower bends toward the east, to 

 catch the sun's first rays. At noon the flower is held 

 erect, fair to the zenith, eyeing the glowing sun as 

 a caged eagle does, in intense longing. As the 

 afternoon passes, the flower bends slowly westward, 

 and turns the same full look on the sun at setting 

 that it did at rising. All the sunflower family are 

 sun-followers. 



Many other plants have this habit ; it belongs not 

 only to flowers, but in some cases to leaves, roots, 

 and stems. The leaves and roots of the onion are 

 sun-followers. That pursuit of light which we have 

 noted, by which stems growing in any dark place seek 

 the light, is a form of heliotropism. 



