128 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



separate, but they are provided with a fringe of hairs 

 just strong enough to retain the seed in its position, yet 

 sufficiently elastic to allow it to escape when the carpels 

 burst away, remaining attached, however, to the central 

 pillar by their upper ends (Fig. 73, c). In the common 



Fig. 72. — Herb B.oheit {Geranium Robertianwii). a, bud ; b, flower j c, flower after 

 the petals have fallen ; d, flower with seeds nearly ripe : ■;, flower with ripe 

 seeds ; /, flower after throwing seeds. 



Herb Robert (Fig. 74) and some other species (G. 

 molle, pusillum, lucidum, pyrenaicum, etc. ) the arrange- 

 ment is somewhat different. In the first place, the 

 whole carpel springs away (Fig. 74, b, c). The seed- 

 chamber (c) detaches itself from the rod of the 

 carpel (6), and when the seed is flung away remains 

 attached to the latter. Under these circumstances it is 



