100 AS CALIFORNIA FLOWERS GROW 



petals are exactly alike and each is striped deli- 

 cately with a pinkish brown. The six stamens are 

 securely attached to the base of the segments, and 

 their anthers do not extend beyond the perianth. 

 The bug must touch these anthers in seeking the 

 nectar dishes below. The flowers are grouped to- 

 gether so as to attract attention. There are papery 

 bracts at the bottom of the cluster, which hold the 

 sunshine around them. The flowers on the outside 

 mature first, and then by v gradual turns they ripen 

 to the center. This process gives a longer time in 

 which to attract visitors. 



When the seed is formed, the perianth remains 

 on, withering into a papery substance. The capsule 

 is three-lobed, with a double crest on top of each 

 lobe. When the seeds are ripe, the seed-case begins 

 at the top to split into three parts, very slowly be- 

 cause the cells are held together by a sort of lattice- 

 work. When a whiff of air dashes by, it hits the 

 capsule, and the three distended parts slap together 

 and then rebound. Out go their top seeds. Then 

 the capsule slits down a little farther, and the process 

 is repeated. If all the seeds could be carried away 

 by the first breeze, they would all go in one direc- 

 tion. By opening the capsule gradually, Wild 

 Onion catches the tide of various directions, and 

 within a few years she is able to populate a wide 

 acreage. You will observe this same habit of the 



