108 ROCK PLANTS OF THE PASTURES 



The leaves, which, as we have seen, are borne in 

 little tufts on the branches, are oblong in shape, deeply 

 toothed, and mounted on long stalks. The upper 

 surface is of a shining, deep green colour, and quite 

 free from hairs. Below, the leaves are covered with 

 a thick, felt-like coat of white, downy hairs, as is seen 

 in the photograph on Plate XX., Fig. 1. 



The leaves are evergreen and may persist for 

 four or five years. In winter-time, when covered 

 with snow, they are rolled on themselves, with the 

 hairy, lower surface innermost. The young leaves 

 are also covered over and protected by the downy 

 lower surfaces of the older. 



The hairs on the lower side of the leaf serve to 

 protect the pores or stomata (see p. 10), which are 

 confined to this surface. They both prevent too great 

 evaporation of moisture from the leaf itself in dry 

 weather, and, in wet, ensure that the lower surface, 

 pressed close to the ground, does not become 

 thoroughly soaked with rain-water, and thus that the 

 gaseous interchange between the leaf and the atmo- 

 sphere (p. 10) be not hindered. 



The large and beautiful flowers, borne on stalks 

 2 to 3 inches in length, are remarkable for the fact that 

 the sepals and petals vary from eight to ten, though 

 the former is the more usual number. The fruits, 

 which have long, feathery awns, enclosing a single 

 seed at the base, resemble those of the Spring and 

 Alpine Anemones (pp. 36 and 39) and the Mountain 

 Avens (p. 128), the latter being a near relative of the 



