534 



THE NATURE BOOK 



from the point where the leaf -stalk joins 

 the stem. These flowers are collected 

 in small cones, each scale of which bears a 

 female flower with two stigmas. After 



caught and blown about by the wind, 

 and so Nature secures the dispersal of 

 the seed. 



The root of the Hop is a perennial, but 



BLACK BRYONY: MALE FLOWERS. 



fertihsation — which takes place by the 

 dispersal of the pollen by the wind — the 

 scales develop and the cone becomes the 

 ordinary " Hop." At the base of each 

 scale will be found a small, single fruit, 

 ])rotected by little, golden glands ; these 

 contain a bitter substance, which prevents 

 animals from eating them ; the wings of 

 the scales, as will be seen in the photo- 

 graph, become sufficiently large to be 



the stems die down at the end of ex'ery 

 summer ; the leaves, which are situated 

 in pairs, are stalked and broadly heart- 

 shaped in appearance, being deeply cut 

 into three or five lobes, while the edges 

 are toothed like a coarse saw. The whole 

 ])lant is more or less rough to the touch, 

 owing to tiny green spines which are 

 situated on the stems and along the ribs 

 of the lea\'es, probably in order to pre\'ent 



