44 



and their consequent movements. The Grape, Piimpkm^ 

 Passion-flower, &c., move forward and upward by tendrils, 

 seizing every support as animals do with their claws. The 

 Bignonia and Ivy have fibrous processes, thrust into every 

 crevice, carrying them up over surfaces of only the slightest 

 inequality. There are Galiums and Polygonums that climb 

 by the hooks and prickles of the stem. The Honeysuckle 

 and Convolvulus make one tendril of the whole stem and 

 ascend by this twining spirally, while the Dodder fastens and 

 lifts itself by suckers that rob the plant to which they cling. 



" With sly approach she spreads her dangerous charms, 

 And round her victim winds her wiry anns." 



The Clematis employs the long petioles of its leaves, which 

 have been compared to hands. 



The Celastrus by its leaves and fine-drawn, spiral stems; 

 the Tropeolum also by its leaves ; and these, like many 

 more, move upward thus in quest of light and air. 



It is remarkable as well as inexplicable, that twining stems 

 do not all turn in the same direction. The Morning Glory, 

 Bean, &c., invariably turn " against the sun," W. S. E., but 

 the Honeysuckle,. Hop and others are equally tenacious of 

 the opposite course, and turn always E. S. W. 



The Sui. dew of our bogs is a very peculiar plant. Its 

 leaves, glandular, and, as it were, jewelled all over, are sen- 

 sitive to the tread of insects, who are often caught in these 

 glutinous toils ; and its graceful mode of flowering, uncoil- 

 ing its raceme, to place the freshest flower at the highest 

 point, has called forth the words of Darwin : — 



" As with sweet grace her snowy neck she hows, 

 A zone of diamonds trembles round her brows. 

 Bright shines the silver halo as she turns. 

 And as she steps,, the living lustre burns. 



We see an instinctive purpose in the economy of the- 

 Peanut, for it buds and flowers in the air like any other, and 

 then plunges its blossom into the earth, that the hot sun may 

 not scorch the ripening seed. Much the same end is served 

 by certain aquatic plants that only perfect their fruit under 

 water. Of these last the Valisneria, growing at the bottom 

 of ponds, lifts its fertile flowers to the surface for impregna- 

 tion, and then, by a spiral coiling of the stem, draws down 

 the fruit to ripen beneath the surface. 



