30 BRITISH WILD FLOWERS 



hold and sufficient air and sunshine. Hairs may 

 keep insects from climbing to the honey-pots 

 and stealing the nectar ; they may prevent 

 rain and dew from lodging on the plant and 

 causing decay, or may serve to check evapora- 

 tion. Nature reaches her ends by many means. 

 Sometimes a smooth, glossy surface keeps off 

 the dangerous moisture, as in the leaves of holly 

 and most evergreens, the celandine, marsh mari- 

 gold, bog bean and water lily ; while at other 

 times hairs serve the same end. The prickles 

 of the rose grow from the bark ; the spines of 

 the white and black thorn are woody. In the 

 holly, butcher's broom, gorse, and other plants, 

 the thorns and prickles are formed by the 

 hardening of the leaf portions. 



7. Climbing and Rambling 



Many plants may be recognized by their 

 habits. Some stand upright, others trail on 

 the ground, and others use various means for 

 reaching a height. Hooks and prickles, or stiff 

 bristles, are used by brambles, roses, goosegrass, 

 and a few other plants. The convolvulus, hop, 

 honeysuckle, dodder (Fig. 7), bindweed, twine 

 round and round ; while vetches, white fumitory, 

 and others throw out tendrils. 



8. Roots and Tubers 

 Many of the monocotyledons (Group ix) have 



