On the Phijsiology of Vegetalles, 187 



to a hot country, have probably tlieir corolla formed of greater 

 consistency, that the water may not too soon evaporate in the 

 bubbles. When the corolla is thick or thin, it is the increase or 

 decrease of their pabulum only to which that circumstance is 

 owing, — every other part is llie same. 



The Everlastings have the pabulum made of powder instead 

 of water, and certainly give «o lieat v^hatcver, but retain their 

 form and beauty for a long time, not fearing the general enemy 

 of flowers evaporation, — dust being their only destroyer. 



But the most curious plant in respect to dissection is the 

 ranunculus ficaria and hulhosus, which htive their pabulum co- 

 vered with a brilliant white powder, which seems not only to re- 

 fract great light and luul from the bubbles, but from the pow- 

 der also. But such was the badness of the weather, that I have 

 not been able to try the heat they give; the flower is indeed al~ 

 most too small to introduce the bulb of the thermometer. 



I shall now touch, though gently, on the means by which tht!se 

 flimsy bodies (the petalsof flowers) are sustained and strengthened, 

 so as to bear much pressure and much ill usage, and to preserve 

 •their elegant sliajjes in spite of wind and rain. No one would for 

 a moment doubt that the spirals governed the petals of flowers, 

 if they would watch them for a few minutes as I have done for 

 days, nay weeks together. — How often have I seen one of the pe- 

 tals contract its motions before the rest were at all sensible of the 

 impulsion ; twist and furl its sail- like wings, lav them fold on 

 fold, exactly according to the drawing of the spiral! I know not 

 any better means to show the niuscles, and how conipletely the 

 spiral is that part of the vegetable, than exposing them to a va- 

 riety of temperatures — both extremes of heat and cold will act 

 e(jually on them ; they contract, then lengthen, and at last be- 

 ome vai^d and dead, — lose all the stiffness of their spiral, which 

 untwists and breaks, and the water immediately evaporates from 

 the bubbles: — you then plainly see the skins in which the water 

 was confined : and I do not think I ever was more surprised than 

 to find that each bubble was opened and shut by a spiral wire: 

 but they are not smaller than the eyes of many insects, in which 

 so much mcclKnaim is discovered. — But we are for ever to be 

 rcnjinded, that to Almighty power there is no small or great. 



In the corolla Nature seems to Inwe sported with a vivacitv 

 ■calculated to exiiibit her powers: and beautiful is it to follow the 

 pea or the bean in its various species, which discover a variety 

 •juite as astonishing; and when the simple direction of the mus- 

 cles is not sullicient to manage its folds, a certain piece is formed 

 like the strengthening piece of an instrument, being a treble 

 fold of the pabulum, from which the \es3cls are allowed to take 



their 



