104 WONDERS OF PLANT LIFE 



processes always shun the brightly illuminated 

 quarters, and seek out the dark parts. The 

 phenomenon is all the more remarkable when it 

 is remembered that in origin these tendrils are 

 modified leaf-shoots portions of the plant which 

 in the ordinary way would certainly not turn away 

 from the light. That the tendrils are more likely 

 to obtain a hold by directing their growth to the 

 dark cracks and crevices than if they grew out to 

 the light is, of course, obvious. A most curious 

 instance in which the same part of a plant is affected 

 by light in different ways at different times is to 

 be seen in the case of the Ivy-leaved Toad-flax 

 (Linaria cymbalaria}. The fkwer-stalks at first 

 incline towards the light, but as soon as the 

 blossoms have been fertilised the stems turn in 

 an opposite direction and so bring the capsules into 

 a position for planting the seeds in the crevices. 



On occasions the foliage of the plant is seen 

 to shun the light. It is noticed by all travellers 

 that the Australian forests offer very little shade ; 

 this is simply due to the fact that certain of the 

 trees (particularly the Eucalypti) hold their leaves 

 edgeways to escape the fierce rays of the sun. It 

 is curious that the seedling Eucalyptus trees bear 

 their leaves laterally. Of course, these young 

 specimens growing in the partial shade afforded 



