29.03.2013 Views

Personality of plants

Personality of plants

Personality of plants

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

LIFE OF A PLANT<br />

those <strong>of</strong> the Primrose and Xanthium Spinosum,<br />

which open at the top so that only a high and<br />

efficient wind can dislodge the seeds.<br />

The problem <strong>of</strong> food storage is an important<br />

one in plantdom. Annuals die when they<br />

have flowered and produced seed. Peren-<br />

nials wither but persist for a number <strong>of</strong> seasons<br />

and sometimes many years. Those whose<br />

stems or trunks are permanent withdraw their<br />

starch and chlorophyll into their cambium<br />

layer where it is safe from freezing. Those<br />

which die down to the ground each fall store<br />

up food material in underground stems and<br />

roots in sufficient amount to get a good start<br />

the following season. The Potato is an en-<br />

largement <strong>of</strong> the underground stem, but Carrots,<br />

Beets, and Turnips are bulbous roots. Hyacinths,<br />

Tulips, Daffodils, Snowdrops, Cro-<br />

cuses, and Buttercups all store food material<br />

in bulbs. Practically all wild flowers which<br />

come up early in the spring, feed upon the<br />

nutriment manufactured during the previous<br />

season.<br />

Buds represent the foliage <strong>of</strong> the coming<br />

season. Each fall, trees and bushes prepare<br />

[37]

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!