-i'A 



THE FVriT 



tlie Clematis aehene (Fiy. 2til), anil the tufted pappus 

 in the case of the Dandelion (Fig- 263). The wing of 

 the Maple key does not avail to carry the seed very far 

 from the source, on the a,verage, as may he seen if we 

 examine tlie neighhorliood of a ^laple tree when the seed- 

 lings are coming up in the spring. Tlie seedlings are 

 very numerous near the j^fii'tnt, very few at a distance of 

 two or three times the height of the tree. ISut one can- 

 not fail to he struck with the successfid planting of the 

 seeds. Although not originally covered by the soil, they 

 stand in multitudes, rooted and growing, in spots wliere 

 the grass was beaten down and matted befcu'c the fruits 

 fell. Though bulky, the keys find their way into the 

 grass through the aclion of tlie winds in driving the 

 wings this M'ay and that, until the seed ends have been 



^A'orked ^\•ell toward the moist sur- 

 face of the soil. This example 

 illustrates the fact, of common 

 occurrence, that appendages of 

 the fruit may serve both in dis- 

 semination and in placing the seed 

 in the position most likely to 

 secure germination. 



341. Tn connecition with this 

 suliject, tin; luechaiiism of Kro- 

 dium ( Fig. 271:1) for l)urying the 

 fruit nia.y be mentioned. The 

 elongated extremity of the fruit 

 is hygrosi'opic ; that is, it absorbs 

 vapor of water ra[)idly in damp 

 weather, and exhales it in dry, 

 the changes being accompanied 

 by twistings and untwistings. 

 As the fruit naturally falls with its weightier or seed 

 end toward the earth, these hygroscopic movements, aided 

 by backward-pointing Jiairs, cnalilc it to work its way 

 through grass or other impediments toward the soil, and 

 finally even partially to bury itself, 



T,'.y Fruit of Erodium. On 

 the left a sitigle ofir[)('l 

 in damp ^veather ; at 

 the rip:ht, several car- 

 pels in the calj^x, in diy 

 weather. 



