BIONOMICS 237 



Thus according to Kerner : 



The foliage of the Deadly Nightshade is a poison to the larger 

 grazing animals, and by them is left undisturbed ; but the leaves of 

 this plant are not only non-poisonous to a small beetle (Haltica Atropse) 

 but form this animal's most important food. The larvae of this beetle 

 often eat numerous holes in the leaves, which, however, by no means 

 prevents the development of the Deadly Nightshade. Accordingly the 

 leaves are protected by the alkaloid contained in them only against 

 wholesale extermination ; limited portions of them can be surrendered and 

 sacrificed with impunity. 



The term alkaloid is now generally restricted to bases of 

 vegetable origin and characterised by remarkable toxicological 

 effects. It is again significant that such bases occur almost 

 exclusively in the dicotyledons, and generally in connection 

 with malic, citric, tartaric or similar plant-acids. Thus we 

 see that those types of plants which rank highest in the pro- 

 duction of "love-foods" and in productiveness generally, are 

 also particularly characterised by capacity for alkaloid pro- 

 ductions, i.e., the alkaloid production is associated with 

 strenuousness, and again is seen to be an instrument for 

 protecting wholesome symbiosis. In a similar way the rose 

 has its spines and the bee its sting, and we saw that the 

 cultivated bee in obedience to symbiotic principles is willing 

 to forego some of the surplus honey for protection afforded, 

 but resents rank exploitation. Like the useful plant it has 

 evolved a poison as a means of assuring the security of its 

 industry. It is perhaps worth adding here that, just as I 

 consider strenuousness and cross-feeding as primitive, so, it 

 seems, there is evidence to show that dicotyly is a primi- 

 tive character, and, further, that trees and shrubs are primitive 

 as compared with herbs among flowering plants. It all points 

 to ancestral dynamics, i.e., symbiotics as I have depicted them, 

 as the prime requisites and the primary features of healthy 

 (physiological) life. 



Given normal relations, the plant offers mild stimulations 

 together with its "love-foods" and those subtle substances 

 which are so vitally important in nutritional and hence also 



