Thk Dandelion in Colorado 
9 
The second method of pollination is by means of insects which 
visit the flowers and in crawling over them bring the pollen pow¬ 
der in contact with the stigmas that are ready to receive it. The 
common honey bee is prominent among such insects, while certain 
flower-visiting flies are capable of performing the same office. 
The Seed .—Each minute flower of the blossom head produces 
one small, seed-like fruit, about one-eighth of an inch long. The 
top end is prolonged into a slender stalk nearly one-half an inch 
in length, with a tuft of spreading hairs at the apex. This little 
parachute not only enables the wind to readily scatter the seed, 
but it also causes the seed to drop end downward among the 
blades of grass. When thoroughly wet, these hairs readily mat 
Fig. 5. Sprouts on dandelion roots cut at different depths. The left hand 
root was cut below the crown. All were taken from a lawn where the dande¬ 
lions had been dug out seven weeks before. 
together and cling to whatever object they are in contact with, thus 
permitting the seed to be at rest while germination takes place. 
Germination of the Seed .—The seeds are ready to germinate 
almost as soon as they begin to leave the plant. Fifty seeds, just 
matured, were gathered June 22 and were put in moist filter paper 
on the following day. On June 28, twelve seeds had germinated, 
and by July 6 forty in all had sprouted. Fifteen days later seven 
more seeds germinated at one time, giving a total germination of 
94 per cent. In this case there appear to have been two germina- 
ation periods, the first covering 13 days and the last culminating 
at the end of 28 days. 
