iv ON PLANT LIFE 153 



or washed away. Everybody, however, has 

 observed that even in fine weather certain 

 flowers close at particular hours. This habit 

 of going to sleep is surely very curious. Why 

 should flowers do so ? In animals we can 

 better understand it ; they are tired and 

 require rest. But why should flowers sleep ? 

 Why should some flowers do so, and not 

 others ? Moreover, different flowers keep 

 different hours. The Daisy opens at sunrise 

 and closes at sunset, whence its name "day's- 

 eye. ?> The Dandelion (Leontodon) is said to 

 open about seven and to close about five ; 

 Arenaria rubra to be open from nine to three ; 

 the White Water Lily (Nymph sea), from about 

 seven to four ; the common Mouse-ear Hawk- 

 weed (Hieracium) from eight to three ; the 

 Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis) to waken at 

 seven and close soon after two ; Tragopogon 

 pratensis to open at four in the morning, 

 and close just before twelve, whence its 

 English name, "John go to bed at noon." 

 Farmers' boys in some parts are said to regu- 

 late their dinner time by it. Other flowers, 

 on the contrary, open in the evening. 



