THE KINSHIP OF PLANTS TO ANIMALS 



847 



pended from the leaf by a slender stalk. 

 The urn is partly filled with water. Insects 

 climb over the edge, crawl down to sip, 

 and find that they cannot get back again, 

 because the way is barred by a row of 

 stiff hairs which point downwards. They 

 are drowned eventually, and provide 

 nutriment for the plant. The urns vary 

 in size with the variety. In some 

 instances it is capable of holding a 

 couple of quarts. 



The Sarraccnia is another insectivorous 

 plant, the leaves of which resemble long 

 tubes with open lids ; the tubes act 

 in the same way as the pitchers of the 

 Nepenthes. The "Sundews" (Droseras) 

 catch their prey in a different manner. 

 The leaves are covered with a sticky 

 substance, which captures and dissolves 

 the insects. The " Venus's Fly-trap " 

 {Dioncea mnscipnla) has a device for 

 catching insects that can only be described 

 as extraordinary. The leaves terminate 

 in a trap, like an ordinary gin, rabbit, or 

 rat trap. When the unsuspecting insect 

 alights on the inside of the trap and touches 

 the sensitive hairs the trap is sprung, 

 and it does not open again until the 

 insect is dead. 



The curious forms that leaves sometimes 

 take are illustrated by the photograph 

 of Echeveria metallica monstrosa. A cancer- 

 like growth appears on the surface of each 

 leaf. It is difficult to decide what is 

 the cause of this strange development. 



The Mesembryanthemums (see photo- 

 graph) also have remarkable leaves, which 

 are of the thick, fleshy character peculiar 

 to plants which are natives of hot, dry 

 countries. Two species, called respec- 

 tively simulans and Boliisii, have leaves 

 as thick as they are broad. The leaves 

 of other M esembryanthemiims are almost 

 exactly hke small pebbles. 



The "Sensitive plant" {Mimosa pudica) 

 has finely cut foliage which is so sensitive 

 that it closes at the slightest touch. 



In countries subjected to very heavy 

 rains the leaves of many plants terminate 

 in a long, narrow point, the object of 

 which, scientists tell us, is to serve as a 

 drain, the water always running off at 

 the point. The gum trees of Australia 

 {Eucalypti) are frequently subjected to 

 severe storms, and consequently they have 

 narrow leaves arranged with the edges 



towards the trees so that they do not 

 catch the wind, and the minimum amount 

 of injury is inflicted. The wattles {Acacias) 

 of Australia are curious by reason of the 

 fact that they have flattened branches 

 coloured and formed like leaves instead 

 of true leaves. 



Australia has given us many peculiar 

 plants besides these. One is the "Glory 

 Pea " {Clianthus dampieri), a weird and 

 uncanny looking flower, shaped almost 

 like a torpedo, fiery red in colour, with, 

 a black blotch, like a huge menacing eye, 

 on a prominent boss in the centre. One 

 may see it sometimes growing in a basket 

 suspended from the roof of one of the 

 glass houses in Kew Gardens. Seen 

 just before closing time on an autumn 

 afternoon, when the gloaming is fall- 

 ing, its effect is almost blood-curdling, 

 especially if it be encountered suddenly. 



The " Bottle-brushes " {Callistemons) are 

 not so awe-inspiring, but are even more 

 singular. The red flowers are arranged 

 round the branches in exactly the form 

 of a bottle brush. The " Flannel flower " 

 {Actinot'us helianthi), which also comes 

 from the land of the wallabies, has blossoms 

 suggestive of a piece of flannel. They 

 bear a resemblance to the well known 

 Swiss mountain plant edelweiss. 



There is a tropical relative of the kidney 

 bean which is called the "Snail flower" 

 {Phaseolits caracalla), on account of the 

 curious curled-up flowers resembling a 

 snail with its house on its back. 



Some flowers only commence to open 

 when the sun sets, and fade about the 

 time that the sun rises the following 

 morning. Various sorts of Cacti {Cereiis) 

 have this peculiarity. They are dry, insig- 

 nificant-looking plants during the day, 

 which the majority of people would pass 

 by with nothing more than a casual glance. 

 But during the night, when in bioom, they 

 are glorious. The flowers may be nine or 

 ten inches across, with white, cream, or 

 pale yellow petals flushed with red, and 

 large tassel-like bunches of stamens. 

 They exhale a delicious perfume. 



Some flowers wliich are minute ami 

 insignificant in themselves have adopted 

 an ingenious device for arresting attention, 

 and tliat is to surround themselves with 

 brightly coloured bracts or spathes. 

 Perliaps the most remarkable example 



