36 TYPICAL FLOWERS OF ALPINE PASTURES 



flower-stalks, the involucre segments, and the outer 



surface of the perianth members. These hairs add 



greatly to the beauty of the plant (Plate IV.). They 



are commonly regarded as serving to keep the' plant 



warm during the season of melting snows. It is very 



unlikely, however, that this is their real use. It is 



more probable that they tend to lessen the risk of 



excessive transpiration (see p. 12) from the upper 



, portion of the plant. It must be remembered that 



I when this Anemone flowers, the soil in which the 



{roots are buried is at a very difierent temperature 



5 from the atmosphere. The sun during the snow- 



I melting season is hot, but the soil is still either 



frozen or very cold. Hence if the above-ground 



portion of the plant were to lose water too rapidly, 



the loss could not be made good by the roots. The 



hairs probably serve to lessen this risk in much the 



same way as those of the Edelweiss, discussed in the 



last chapter. 



The fruit of the Spring Anemone (Plate V., Fig. 1) 

 is a very common *' find " in the pasturages in summer. 

 It is not only beautiful, but botanically interesting. 

 It is closely similar to, though smaller than, that of 

 the Alpine Anemone, which we will shortly describe 

 in detail (p. 39). 



Before leaving the Spring Anemone, we may 

 mention that in the Zermatt and a few other valleys 

 of Canton Valais, another species, Haller's Anemone 

 {Anemone halleri, All), is found, which very closely 

 resembles the Spring Anemone in many points. This 



