68 THE HUMAN SIDE OF PLANTS 



bodies and their beautiful flowers, they are like 

 human vampires clinging to their victims, gloating 

 over their conquest, and shamelessly flaunting their 

 ill-won charms into the faces of their fellow-plants. 



Such a beautiful, shapely thing is the razor-grass. 

 Having climbed a dozen feet or so up the sturdy 

 trunk of an upright tree, it allows its long, curving 

 blades to droop over, hanging there in languorous 

 indolence. Truly it is a beautiful thing in both 

 shape and colour. But let your hand touch the 

 edge of one of its gracefully drooping blades ! The 

 sharp, saw teeth with which it is thickly armed will 

 cut deep into your flesh. Clothing, skin, and bone 

 need fear this beautiful, heartless thing of the 

 forest. 



One of the most interesting phases of these 

 robber plants is found among certain kinds which 

 take on the thieving habit when they choose to, and 

 drop it at will. The cuckoo-pint, often found grow- 

 ing high up on the sides of ditches, has a cousin 

 which thrives in Brazil. It is sometimes seen sitting 

 far up in the air, delicately held like a tremendous 

 spider with long straight legs reaching to the earth. 

 Occasionally it takes root, and feeds itself as other 

 plants do from the soil. Like some people, how- 

 ever, it works only when forced to do so by the 

 lack of food. 



