26 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



Goat's-beard — A runcus Sylvester 

 May- July 



This is a plant flourishing in New York and 

 southward. Its flowers, minute and yellowish- 

 white, are crowded upon small spikes, and these 

 latter are clustered together into a large, compound 

 spike. This is classified as belonging to the Rose 

 family; but it is an exception to the general rule 

 of that family in that the staminate flowers grow 

 on one plant and the pistillate on another. 



Eel Grass; Tape Grass — VaXlisneria spiralis 



August 



Though there are many staminate and pistillate 

 flowers growing on separate plants, it is quite 

 unique to find any of the former which break loose 



from their stems, skip over 

 and snuggle beside the lat- 

 ter and offer a gift of pollen. 

 Yet this extraordinary con- 



VALLISNERIA _ ^ ■^ 



duct is just what is to be 

 found in the Vallisnena. Being a water-plant, 

 the staminate flower swims to its mate, and thus 

 might be called the Leahder of the Flowery 

 Kingdom. 



It is very common in lakes and rivers. Rooted 

 firmly to the bottom, its long, narrow leaves swing 



