166 PECULIAR ADAPTATIONS. WATER-LILY. 



just mentioned, which are beautifully adapted to contain such 

 minute quantities of water, as the atmosphere may deposit. 

 Thus, the dryness of the soil and climate in which this species 

 naturally exists, is compensated by the peculiar structure of its 

 leaves; and it is, accordingly, one of the few plants that will 

 flourish in a sitting-room, the air of which is too dry for the 

 health of most others. Similar cavities have been observed in 

 the Nepenthes and Dionaea. 



250. There are many plants, however, whose leaves expose 

 each side equally to the light ; their surfaces being upright in- 

 stead of horizontal. In these, both sides are usually formed 

 alike, and their colours -are the same. Upon examining their 

 interior structure, it is found that both sides are equally fur- 

 nished with intercellular passages; and that the number of 

 stomata above these is nearly the same. This is the case, for 

 example, in the common Iris. But there are some instances, in 

 which the general plan of structure is completely reversed, the 

 stomata being restricted to the upper surface, and the upper part 

 of the parenchyma being much looser in texture than the lower. 

 This is the case, for example, with the Water-Lily, and other 

 plants whose leaves float on the surface of the water. The thick 

 spongy leaf of the "Water-Lily contains a large amount of air- 

 channels, which serve to give it buoyancy; but these are all 

 immediately beneath the upper surface, and communicate with 

 the external air through its numerous stomata ; whilst in con- 

 tact with the lower surface, which, as it lies upon the water, 

 is cut off from the actions that are usually performed by it, are 

 two rows of closely-packed cells, corresponding to those generally 

 in contact with the upper surface. In all these instances, we 

 observe such a beautiful adaptation of the structure of these 

 wonderfully-organised beings, to the circumstances in which they 

 are to live and grow, that the intelligent observer can scarcely 

 feel a doubt of the Wisdom and Omnipotence of the Designing 

 hand which contrived it. 



