168 THE HUMAN SIDE OF PLANTS 



is these small flowers, hidden underground, which 

 insure the propagation of the plant. They are self- 

 fertilised, and so are not dependent upon either 

 wind or insect for the distribution of the pollen. 



The Poly gala is a sociable plant, being, however, 

 somewhat clannish, for it usually grows with a 

 number of its own kind gathered around it. 



The stem creeps underground, and perhaps this 

 has given the Polygala its other name flowering 

 wintergreen because of the creeping habit, and 

 of the resemblance of the leaves to those of the 

 real wintergreen. Like the wintergreen, too, it 

 loves the deep woods, and is often found nestling at 

 the feet of great oak trees, pines, or hickories. 



Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and nu- 

 merous lilies, to say nothing of the common vege- 

 tables, such as potatoes, and onions, afford good 

 examples of plants whose fruit is hidden safely 

 underground. The onion, however, also produces 

 seeds above ground. 



Not the least interesting among the ingenious 

 methods used by plants in hiding their seeds is 

 that followed by certain grasses, such as the Stipa 

 yennata, whose auger-like fruits bore themselves 

 into the earth by a winding motion, which stops 

 only when the seeds are well hidden underground. 



The cyclamen, or, as the old-time botanists called 



