PLANTS HIDE THEIR BLOSSOMS 167 
its stems above the ground. These beans act as a 
double insurance for the plant’s perpetuation. 
They are grown in pods, and when the pods are 
ripe the seeds are hurled away, thus insuring a 
wide distribution; while at the same time the wise 
plant has stored the underground peanuts to insure 
the next year’s crop in the immediate vicinity. 
These underground peanuts have been provided by 
unique subterranean flowers. 
Still another relative of the peanut which uses 
this unusual method of hiding its seeds in the 
ground is the Voandzeia subterranea, commonly 
known as “the underground bean of Madagascar.” 
This interesting plant belongs to the bean family, 
and is cultivated in many parts of America, and 
in West Africa, whence it originally came. 
A few of the violets, like the sweet violet (Viola 
odorata), have adopted the wise plan of hiding 
some of their lower flowers under the earth, thus 
taking no undue risk of not having their seeds 
properly sown. These underground flowers never 
entirely open, yet most of them produce seeds. 
The Fringed Polygala (Polygala paucifolia) 
flaunts above ground orchid-like blossoms of a bril- 
liant rose-pink color; while partly or entirely under 
the ground it has a cluster of small, insignificant- 
looking flowers which never open their petals. It 
