132 



HOUSE, GARDEN, AND FIELD 



quite detached from one another, the lobes being sub- 

 divided by shallower notches. It is possible that in wood 

 sorrel the same process of division has been carried a little 

 further, and that each of the leaflets thus formed has 

 acquired its own organ of movement. 



FIG. 34. Details of wood sorrel, a, a', bases of leaflets, showing organs 

 of movement (in a' the hairs are left out) ; b, base of leaf-stalk, with organ of 

 movement ; c, base of flower-stalk, detached, with organ of movement ; d, the 

 two united bracts of the flower-stalk. Compare Fig. 32. Magnified. 



The early botanists, judging by the trefoil leaves, looked 

 upon wood sorrel as a particular kind of clover, and even 

 Ray so treats it. Long study was necessary before the 

 characters which indicate real affinity could be distin- 

 guished from those which are adaptive only. 



