THE SPECIAL COLOURS OF PLANTS 



generally admitted to be the result of the simple principle of 

 economy of material applied to a primitive cylindrical cell. 1 



In studying the phenomena of colour in the organic world 

 we have been led to realise the wonderful complexity of the 

 adaptations which bring each species into harmonious relation 

 with all those which surround it, and which thus link together 

 the whole of nature in a network of relations of marvellous 

 intricacy. Yet all this is but, as it were, the outward show 

 and garment of nature, behind which lies the inner structure 

 — the framework, the vessels, the cells, the circulating fluids, 

 and the digestive and reproductive processes, — and behind 

 these again those mysterious chemical, electrical, and vital 

 forces which constitute what we term Life. These forces 

 appear to be fundamentally the same for all organisms, as 

 is the material of which all are constructed; and we thus 

 find behind the outer diversities an inner relationship which 

 binds together the myriad forms of life. 



Each species of animal or plant thus forms part of one 

 harmonious whole, carrying in all the details of its complex 

 structure the record of the long story of organic development ; 

 and it was with a truly inspired insight that our great philo- 

 sophical poet apostrophised the humble weed — 



Flower in the crannied wall, 



I pluck you out of the crannies, 



I hold you here, root and all, in my hand, 



Little flower — but if I could understand 



"What you are, root and all, and all in all, 



I should know what God and man is. 



1 See Origin of Species, sixth edition, p. 220. 



