VIII 

 THE EVOLUTION OF THE FLOWER 



IN a general way, without the system of organs 

 to which has been given the name of flower, the 

 blossoming plants could not continue to exist. 

 Of course, there are exceptions where plants 

 producing flowers are not entirely dependent 

 upon the offices of the floral organs for the per- 

 petuation of their kind. Naturally, all annuals 

 rely entirely upon increase by seed, but there are 

 a few known cases in which perennial plants have 

 persisted in a locality, and extended their field 

 of growth, without ever having been known to 

 propagate their kind through floral agency. The 

 most singular instance on record is that of a little 

 Oxalis introduced into Malta from the Cape before 

 the year 1804. The species has spread along the 

 shore of the Mediterranean by means of bulbs, 

 but has never yet been observed to set seed in 

 Europe. 



A more homely instance of a plant which is 



