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Personality of plants

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PERSONALITY OF PLANTS<br />

act, the first root came into being, and lol there<br />

were terrestrial <strong>plants</strong>.<br />

It is to be noted that all development in the<br />

plant world is born <strong>of</strong> necessity. To the <strong>plants</strong>,<br />

dependence upon water, food and the impulse<br />

to reproduction may be ascribed the start <strong>of</strong><br />

many a new form among them. In the more<br />

complex groups we seem to see a conscious<br />

striving for higher and better things, but the<br />

lowlier species <strong>of</strong>ten need the goad <strong>of</strong> circum-<br />

stance to force them to attainment.<br />

When the <strong>plants</strong> first emerged upon the land,<br />

a number <strong>of</strong> structural changes became neces-<br />

sary. Whereas in the marine world, water is<br />

absorbed directly by all parts <strong>of</strong> the plant, in<br />

land life special organs <strong>of</strong> absorption and<br />

conductivity must be developed. At first, the<br />

roots were mere rhizoids or hairs, aided by<br />

water-drinking leaves and tubers, as in the<br />

Mosses and Liverworts today; but it was not<br />

long before true root and vascular systems were<br />

evolved. Other changes which came with<br />

terrestrial life were greater rigidity <strong>of</strong> tissue and<br />

devices to guard against evaporation. Leaves<br />

were developed for the purposes <strong>of</strong> manufac-<br />

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