SEPTEMBER 



33 



unusual among flowers, that there 

 are red, white, and blue kinds, 

 all of which has made it a popu- 

 lar candidate for the national 

 flower. The twining of the stem 

 is also worthy of note. Like most 

 climbing plants, it twines against 

 the sun ; that is, from the left to 

 the right hand of the observer. 

 The hop and some honeysuckles 

 reverse this movement. The mo- 

 tion is quite rapid, and, on a hot 

 day, only about two hours are re- 

 quired for the growing tip to 

 travel round a circle. When the 

 free end is a foot or two in length, 

 this motion can actually be seen. 



The Water Lily, like most of 

 the other flowers already men- 

 tioned, sleeps at night. Perhaps 

 the most interesting thing about 

 it, is the fact that there is no ab- 

 solute difference between sepals 

 and petals, or between petals and 

 stamens. The outer leaves, it is 

 true, are green and shining out- 

 side, but they are white within, 

 and the succeeding leaves are 

 tinged with green. As we travel 

 still farther within, they become 

 tipped with yellow, finally bear- 

 ing anthers (stamen heads), until 

 at last we reach perfect stamens. 



{^« 



/> 



Common Toadflax (Butter and 

 Eggs), fruit and flower. 



