LECTURES. 31 
wise. The seed which has the largest wing known belongs to a 
Tropical Vegetable Marrow, by name Zanonia It is a pretty sight 
to see one of these seeds sweep round in a big circle more easily 
than any broad-backed Gull. Bignonia indica has a wing which is 
almost as effective. Another point worth noticing in this connec- 
tion is how many of our English trees use this method to distribute 
themselves, as the Birch, Elm, Ash, Pine, Maple, Sycamore, Lime, 
and here as the seed has farther to fall than in a low plant, the 
wind must be able to blow it away from the shade of the parent. 
Parachutes occur in many plants, all our Thistles, our Dande- 
lions, Bullrushes, Willows, Cotton-grass, Willow-herbs,—and _ their 
effectiveness is quite obvious when we see a field overgrown with 
thistles, rank on rank like the armed men which sprang up from 
the Dragon’s teeth in the old legend of Cadmus.. 
There is a common little English plant which has two kinds 
of fruit, one for sailing abroad with a parachute and the other 
without, and this latter kind reproduces the parent at home. 
Of the third class we have many representatives in England, — 
such as Burdock (Arctium), Agrimony (Agrimonier), Forget-me-nots 
(Myosotis arvrusis and others), Enchanter’s Nightshade (Circea) 
Horehound (Cynoglossum), Cleaven (Galium), Herbbesist (Getne), 
Bidsus. 
Uncaria, the grapple plant, or Wait-a-minute Thorn of South 
Africa, has very formidable seeds with long hooked thorns. It has 
been known to killa lion indirectly, by causing a wound which when 
inflamed lamed the unfortunate beast to such an extent that it was 
starved to death. 
Blumenbachia, a plant from the Andes, has fruits covered 
with stinging hairs, but when the seeds are ripe these stinging hairs 
have done their duty, and wither ; but besides these there are very 
many knobby barbed hairs, and these stick to any passing animal 
and so are distributed without any great inconvenience to the 
carrier. Similar to this is the arrangement of backward directed 
bristles in the Barley, whereby the ear after once entering the wool 
of a sheep is forced to penetrate deeper and deeper till disintegra- 
tion occurs. In this connection may be mentioned a grass from 
Mid and South Europe which forces its way into the wool of sheep 
by means of the twisting and untwisting of the bristle, according 
as whether it is wet or dry ; a long plume hinders any retreat, and 
as the fruit is sharp-pointed it penetrates into the back of the 
animal frequently. 
