Fruits and Seeds. 173 



an indirect reference to our present subject. On 

 the other hand, in the Dandelion the flower-stalk is 

 upright while the flower is expanded, a period 

 which lasts for three or four days ; it then lowers 

 itself, and lies close to the ground for about twelve 

 days while the fruits are ripening, and then rises 

 again when they are mature. In the Cyclamen the 

 stalk curls itself up into a beautiful spiral after the 

 flower has faded. 



The flower of the little Linaria of our walls 

 pushes out into the light and sunshine, but as soon 

 as it is fertilised it turns round and endeavours to 

 find some hole or cranny in which it may remain 

 safely ensconced until the seed is ripe. 



9. In some water-plants the flower expands at the 

 surface, but after it is faded retreats again to the 

 bottom. This is the case, for instance, with the 

 Water Lilies and several other aquatic plants. In 

 Valisneria, again, as already mentioned, the pistil- 

 late flowers (fig. 62, a) are borne on long stalks, 

 which reach to the surface of the water, on which the 

 flowers float. The staminate flowers (fig. 62, b], on 

 the contrary, have short straight stalks, from which, 

 when mature, the pollen (fig. 62, c) detaches itself, 

 rises to the surface, and, floating freely on it, is 

 wafted about, so that it comes in contact with the 

 pistillate flowers. After fertilisation, however, the 

 long stalk coils up spirally, and thus carries the 

 ovary down to the bottom, where the seeds can 

 ripen in greater safety. 



