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Personality of plants

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PERSONALITY OF PLANTS<br />

become petals. This evolutionary fact can be<br />

seen today in the white Water Lily, where con-<br />

centric rows <strong>of</strong> stamens gradually merge into<br />

petals. Double Roses and Poppies are exam-<br />

ples <strong>of</strong> the same thing.<br />

The formation <strong>of</strong> flowers was only the first<br />

step. It is not enough to get the insect to come<br />

to the plant. Once he is there, means must be<br />

found to make sure that he performs the mar-<br />

riage duties assigned to him. Each flower<br />

takes care <strong>of</strong> this problem in a different way.<br />

At ordinary times, the Gorse is a closed<br />

flower, provided, however, with a little step or<br />

platform on which a Bee can alight. As soon<br />

as an industrious honey-seeker has settled down<br />

on this little floral porch, his pressure causes<br />

the entire corolla <strong>of</strong> the flower to spring violently<br />

open and shower him with pollen. A<br />

Gorse flower which has thus unburdened itself<br />

at once hangs down dejectedly and is no longer<br />

the object <strong>of</strong> insect regard. The Lupine and<br />

the English Bird's-Foot Trefoil entertain their<br />

tiny visitors in a similiar way.<br />

There are two different arrangements <strong>of</strong> sex-<br />

ual organs in the Primrose. One variety is<br />

[86]

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