HOW PLANTS SCATTER THEIR SEED 18] 
opens, showing a beautiful cluster of yellow flowers. 
This head closes at night and opens in the day, closes 
again at night and opens 
with the day, and so on, 
unless the day is a dark 

one, when all the dande- 
lions may remain closed. 
By and by the head 
stops opening. We can 
see the tips of the flowers. 
They wither and die. A 
white cottony mass be- 
gins to appear. Its silky 
hairs spread apart, the 
head opens again, and 
the crown of narrow 
leaves (the involucre) re- 
curves and gives room 
for the spreading crown 

on the tips of all the Fic. 221. Dandelion flower and fruit. Flower 
A Thi f open at right, old flowers closed and stems 
seeds. Is orms a elongating at left, ripe seed raised up higher 
great white ball on the and ready to scatter (after Miyake). 
end of the stem. The seeds are now in a position 
where the wind easily catches them. 
Did you ever notice that where the lawn is mowed 
many of the dandelions have such short stems that 
the flower head is below the lawn mower? Then see 

