178 FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE. 



will have something to tell of the movements of 

 leaves and flowers towards or away from the light. 

 It is unnecessary, therefore, to multiply examples to 

 prove that which is generally accepted. Each, 

 perhaps, will have his own theory of the reason 

 why these phenomena are exhibited, and here, too, 

 the tendency will be in the same direction, namely, 

 that the growing point, or the leaf, or the flower is 

 turned to the light to secure some advantage to the 

 plant. In fact, that heliotropism acts for a purpose, 

 and not as a blind chance ; that it is one of the means 

 adopted to secure certain ends, and this appears to 

 be incontrovertible. " It is of more importance to 

 insectivorous plants to place their leaves in the best 

 position for catching insects than to turn their leaves 

 to the light, and they have no such power. If the 

 stems of twining plants were to bend towards the 

 light they would often be drawn away from their 

 supports, and they do not thus bend." And thus, 

 with other exceptions, there is usually an efficient 

 reason which will suggest itself to the thoughtful 

 mind as a good and sufficient cause. 



That modified form of heliotropism which has 

 been called "transverse heliotropism," or diahelio- 

 tropism, has, perhaps, been less observed, because 

 less conspicuous than true heliotropism. The best 

 examples of this form must be sought amongst 

 seedlings, the seed-leaves of which are extended 



