WHITE AVENS 



Geum canadense Jacq. 



June Tlioro arc certain wild llowcrs wliicli liavc earned the name 

 Woods ol weed because of an undeniably disagreeable attribute of 

 entan<rlin;: themselves in the dcstinicj^ ol passersby. Xobody 

 seems to love a (lower w hidi produces armed I'liiits which in late summer 

 and autumn hook themselves into any cloth or wool or fur which brushes 

 a<j^ainst tliem. and. hiter on, ar(> dillicult to remove. When the plant has 

 the further disadvantage of insi<:uilicant llowers. tlicn the whole thing 

 seems, to us. to be a waste ot Nature's time and elVort. 



Tt is easy to look at the wihl tilings trom the view|>oint of a human 

 beinir with certain need.- ami values, certain attitudes and dislikes, certain 

 standards of conduct and beauty. It is not so easy to observe a ]dant 

 objectively for what it is, as an item in Nature's economy which may 

 have a reason foi" beinjr which is (juite beyond hum;:n understanding or 

 a))preciation. The fact that a plant is there, has survived glacial ejioohs 

 and the cataclysms of th.e geologic j)ast. aiul is able ellici«'ntly to attract 

 the proper iu.-ccls which Icrtilize the seeds, and is able to distribute them 

 to other ])laces where they will grow and not crowd the parent i)lant, 

 shoidd be enough to icccimncnd it. 



So — here is avens, minor iiKMnbcr ot the magniticent liose tamily. 

 Here are weedy little plants with thin stems and leaves which are a goo<l 

 deal like tho.-^e of a blackben-y, and llowers which are reduced to scarcely 

 visible white petals around a large stamen-filled c(Miter. As soon as the 

 ])etals fall, the center develops into a seed head comjiosed of many fruits, 

 each topj)ed with a curving prickle. This easily becomes attached to 

 creatures passing by and the seeds thus are transj)orted far away. 



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