Ixxxii The Transactions of the South Afrwan Philosophical Society 
armed very similarly, and I know from a painful experience how pene- 
trating their spines are. 
The most elaborate arrangements of this kind are found in the order 
Pedalinez. The conical spines of the winged fruit of Petrea eriocarpa, 
similar in their action to those just described, are merciful in com- 
parison to the diabolical armament of Burchell’s grapple plant (Harpa- 
gophytum procumbens). The capsule of this plant possesses arms three 
inches long, provided with sharp, recurved hooks, which once having 
caught hold of an animal’s foot or mouth, will not let their prey loose 
HARPAGOPHYTUM PROCUMBENS, DC. CAPSULE, 4 NAT. SIZE. 
until the poor brute in its agony has trampled the tough capsule to 
pieces. It is very interesting to observe that plants of this order, pro- 
vided with such peculiar adaptations, should occur in South America as 
well as in South Africa, for the capsules of Martynia proboscidea termi- 
minate in two sharp-pointed hooks, three inches long, which will easily 
pierce the lips of grazing animals. There is cruelty in the world of 
plants as well as in the animal kingdom, if one could apply the word 
to the struggle for existence in the organized world. 
A. few plants attach their seeds or fruits to animals by means of some 
