208 l'HEXO?,IF.XA OF PLANTS. 



attended with an uncommon quantity of seed on tliese shrubs, whence 

 their unusual fruitfulness is a sign of severe winter." 



Besides the above, there are several plants, especially those with 

 compound yellow flowers, which during the whole day turn their 

 flowers towards the sun, viz. to the East in the morning, to the South 

 at noon, and to the West towards evening. This is very observa- 

 ble in the sowthistle, So7ichiis arvensis ; and it is a well known fact, 

 that a great part of the plants in a serene sky expand their flowers 

 and as it were with cheerful looks behold the light of the sun ; but 

 before rain they shut them up, as the tulip. 



The flowers of the chick-wintergreen {Trientalis) droop in the 

 night, lest rain or moisture should injure the fertilizing pollen. 



One species of woodsorrcl shuts up or doubles its leaves before 

 storms and tempests, but in a serene sky expands or unfolds them, 

 so that husbandmen can foretel tempests from it. It is also well 

 known that the sensitive plants, and cassia, observe the same rule. 



Besides affording prognostics of weather, many plants fold them- 

 selves up at particular hours, with such regularity as to have ac- 

 quired names from this property. The following are among the 

 more remarkable plants of this description. 



, Goatsbea.rd. The flowers of both species of Tragopogon open in 

 the morning at the approach of the sun, and, without regard to the 

 state of the weather, regularly shut about noon. Hence it is gener- 

 ally known by the name of go-to-bed-at-noon. 



The four o^-lock, (Mirabih's,) sometimes called Princess' leaf, is an 

 elegant shrub in its native clime, the Malay islands. It opens its 

 flowers at four in the evening, and does not close them till the same 

 hour in the morning. It is said people transplant them from the 

 woods into their gardens, and use them as a dial or clock, especially 

 in cloudy weather. 



The Evening Primrose (CEnothera) is well known from its remark- 

 able property of regularity, shutting with a loud popping noise about 

 sunrise, and opening at sunset. After six o'clock, these flowers reg- 

 ularly report the approach of night. 



The Tamarind-tree, the water-lily, {Nymphcea,) the mary-gold, the 

 false sensitive-plant, and several others of the Diadelphia class, in 

 serene weather expand their leaves in the daytime, and contract 

 them during the night. According to some botanists, the tamarind- 

 tree infolds within its leaves the flowers or fruit every night, in order 

 to guard them from the cold or rain. 



The flower of the garden lettuce opens at seven o'clock, andshuts- 

 at ten. 



" A species of serpentine aloes, whose large and beautiful flower 

 exhales a strong odour of the Vanilla during the time of its expan- 

 sion, which is very short, is cultivated in the imperial garden of 

 Paris. It does not blossom until towards the month of July, and 

 about five o'clock in the evening, at which time it gradually opens 

 its petals, expands them, droops and dies. By ten o'clock the same 

 night it is totally withered, to the great astonishment of the specta- 

 tors, who flock in crowds to see it. 



" The cereus, a native of Jamaica and Vera Cruz, exhibits an ex- 

 quisitely beautiful flower, and emits a highly fragrant odour for a 

 few hours in the night, and then closes to expand no more. The 

 flower is nearly a foot in diameter, the inside of the calyx ofa splen- 

 did yellow, and the numerous petals are ofa pure white. 



Plants which turn towards the sun— Phinis which hang their heads at night and in 

 storms— The go-to-bed-;it-iioon— Thi> four o'clock— Evening primrose— T&.marir.i}- 

 >xei.\ &c.— Aloea— IViiih'-lilooiuiiii.' ^\t-^us. ^Vc 



