The White Campion 



spread out as a five-rayed star in the centre of the 

 flower, each pale green ray passing above and between 

 the petals. It would not be easy for those spreading 

 rays to miss the poUen loads inadvertently brought 

 by the moths when they pay their night visits to sip 

 the honey deep below them. 



As a result of the visit the seed-case swells. As 

 the days pass it dries and becomes brown, then one 

 fine day it opens at the top by five little teeth which 

 turn back, and out of the httle openings thus formed 

 the seeds are jerked as the stems are swayed by the 

 wind. One says " one fine day " advisedly, because 

 if the day be wet the teeth do not open or, if open, 

 when rain comes on they roll back and close the 

 openings. Thus the seeds are saved from being 

 drowned in their case and water-logged, for if that 

 happened they could never be jerked out and 

 dispersed. 



This, thai, is the life of our plant Cinderella; 

 not an uneventful one or one lacking in romance, 

 after aU, for appearances are often deceitful. 



175 



