CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - ZetaTalk

CHAPTERISEEDS ANDSHOOTSTHE earth is clothed with plants. ,411 these plants are therrsults of propagation.~+ints perpetuate themselves and increase their numbersby many means. These means are sexual (by seeds and somekinds of spores), and asexual (by vegetative parts) lSeeds are the results of the fertilization of the ovule (strictlyof the egg-nucleus of the ovulej by the germ-nucleus of thepollen-grain. The ovule, with its integuments and perhapswith adhering parts, ripens into the seed. Of many forms, sizesand colors are the seeds of plants. So various are they thatwe Gsnalizt~ no seed-form, as we visualize heart-form or roseform,and many of them are hardly recognizable. Yet they allhave this in common, that they contain a dormant or quiescentembryo. Thi9 embryo is a rudimentary or minut.e plant.When the conditions are right for the plantlet to resume itsgrowth, we Say that the seed germinates.Sot only does the seed reproduce the parent, but it dispersesthe species. In fact, the word disaminute means to sow orscatter seeds, although we now disseminate knowledge as wellas seeds. Tl- w act of-falling from the receptacle placer; the seedin a dit-ferent position from that of its parent stock. Oftenthe seed is carried by wind, being whirled by means of wings,as in 1mlplu and ash ; floated by means of down or plumes, asin thistle, dandelion and poplar; driven on the snow and icefrom stalks that stand stifi in the winter. It may be carriedu 1