148 



FIEST STUDIES IN PLANT LIFE 



CHAPTEK XXV. 



HOW PLANTS MULTIPLY WITHOUT THE 

 HELP OF SEEDS. 



1. Of two bee-grubs exactly alike, one is placed by 

 the bees into an ordinary cell, and, in due time, 

 grows into a working bee; the other, placed in a 

 larger cell, and fed on richer food, comes out a queen 

 bee ! How it is done we do not know. In some 

 similar way — though here, again, we know little, 

 one plant-cell is so fed and placed as to become a 

 stem-cell; another to become a leaf-cell. This 

 stem-cell, again, may become a root-cell, and the 

 leaf-cell may be so fed and placed as to become 

 a thorn, a tendril, a sepal, a petal, a stamen, a pistil, 

 a fruit ! 



2. We have already had examples showing how a 

 leaf may disguise itself as a thorn or a tendril. Look 



at the flower of the 

 bougainvillea, and you 

 will see that the 

 " flower " consists of 

 coloured leaves. Ex- 

 amine, once more, a 

 monthly rose that 



shows how the stamens turn into petals (fig. 109). 



Hold up a gooseberry to the light, and you will see 



that it is just a swollen leaf or leaves fitted for 



holding seeds. 



Fio loq 



Hose stamenB changing into petals 



as we pass from the centre of 



the rose outwards. 



