PLANTS HIDE THEIR BLOSSOMS 167 



its stems above the ground. These beans act as a 

 double insurance for the plant's perpetuation. 

 They are grown in pods, and when the pods are 

 ripe the seeds are hurled away, thus insuring a 

 wide distribution; while at the same time the wise 

 plant has stored the underground peanuts to insure 

 the next year's crop in the immediate vicinity. 

 These underground peanuts have been provided by 

 unique subterranean flowers. 



Still another relative of the peanut which uses 

 this unusual method of hiding its seeds in the 

 ground is the IFoandzeia mbterranea, commonly 

 known as "the underground bean of Madagascar." 

 This interesting plant belongs to the bean family, 

 and is cultivated in many parts of America, and 

 in West Africa, whence it originally came. 



A few of the violets, like the sweet violet (Viola 

 odorata), have adopted the wise plan of hiding 

 some of their lower flowers under the earth, thus 

 taking no undue risk of not having their seeds 

 properly sown. These underground flowers never 

 entirely open, yet most of them produce seeds. 



The Fringed Polygala (Polygala paucifolia) 

 flaunts above ground orchid-like blossoms of a bril- 

 liant rose-pink color ; while partly or entirely under 

 the ground it has a cluster of small, insignificant- 

 looking flowers which never open their petals. It 



