THE HAIRS. 105 



The Dipsaceae, furnished with a pappus, and the 

 Gramineae and Cyperace^, provided with beards, &c. 

 present similar phenomena. The plumes which crown 

 a great number of seeds enjoy properties of the same 

 kind, and serve by their separation to make the seeds 

 fall out of the pericarp, and favour their dispersion by 

 the air ; of this kind are those of £pilobium, the 

 Apocinege, &c. 



These examples, which could be easily multiplied, 

 tend to prove that Scaly Hairs enjoy very decided 

 hygroscopic properties, by which means they perform 

 certain offices necessary for the dispersion of seeds. 



Section VI. 

 Oj Cilice, Bristles, ^'c. 



Under the name of Cili^, are described the hairs 

 whicli spring, not from any surface, but from the border 

 of that surface, in such a manner that they do not arise 

 either from the superior or inferior face of a membrane, 

 but are on the same level with them. They put on all 

 the appearances of Hairs; thus some are Glandular, 

 some Lymphatic, others CoroUine. Tn general, their 

 presence is more regular and constant in the species 

 which are furnished with them, than that of Hairs 

 properly so called. Most are of a little stiffer nature 

 than hairs, and several are confounded by their texture 

 with stings, spines, or even with the indentations of 

 leaves. Their use appears to be only to protect the leaf 



