354 



FRUITS AND SEEDS 



You have noted the various and common structures of 

 seeds and fruits which favor their transportation through 



the air. (See 

 Figures 143, 146, 

 and 157.) The 

 fruits of man)?- 

 Composita and of 

 many successful 

 trees furnish the 

 most conspicuous 

 examples of this 

 type of dispersal. 

 The catalpas, 

 the maples, the 

 elms, and most 

 members of the 

 . ,.,,,,. ., , , , pine family have 



Fig. 157. — Ripe fruits of dandelion. Note the tufts of . 



hair which act like parachutes and enable these fruits Winged iruits Or 



to travel far on even the slightest breeze. — After geeds (See Fis- 



Kemer, . . 



ures 159 A, and 

 146.) The wings borne by seeds and fruits of many tropical 

 trees are of remarkable size, one very successful family 

 of tropical trees receiving 

 its name {Dipterocarpece, 

 meaning winged seeds) 

 from this character. (See 

 Figure 158.) 



You have noted the 

 tumbleweeds (page 327) ; 

 recall also that it is from 



FtG. 158. — VVintjed seed of Bignonia, a tropi- 

 cal tree. — AJter Strasburger. 



light seed hairs, structures favorable for wind dissemina- 

 tion, that cotton is obtained. 



