. A manual of Indian botany. Botany. 6o MORPHOLOGY {Jatropha gossypifoHa), bichuti {Tragia involucrata), the pods of alkushi {Mucuna pruriens) (see fig. 179), and the involucre of Stegesbeckia (see fig. 201). Spines, prickles, and glandular hairs are the arma- ture of plants, by which they defend themselves against the attack of animals. Sir George Watt, writing on armature of plants, says: "The plant mani- fests distinct efforts to defend itself from the attack of animals. Every part of shial- kanta (Argemone mexicana) (fig. 63) is one mass of pointed bodies which protect it most success
. A manual of Indian botany. Botany. 6o MORPHOLOGY {Jatropha gossypifoHa), bichuti {Tragia involucrata), the pods of alkushi {Mucuna pruriens) (see fig. 179), and the involucre of Stegesbeckia (see fig. 201). Spines, prickles, and glandular hairs are the arma- ture of plants, by which they defend themselves against the attack of animals. Sir George Watt, writing on armature of plants, says: "The plant mani- fests distinct efforts to defend itself from the attack of animals. Every part of shial- kanta (Argemone mexicana) (fig. 63) is one mass of pointed bodies which protect it most successfully. The bael, ankar-kanta {Algan- gium Lamarckii), karancha, and babla are very efficiently armed. In all these cases you observe the spines or sharp-pointed bodies are perfectly straight and nearly horizontal, because for trees they are more useful in that attitude; they are also not developed, you may observe, upon the higher parts of the trees. In erect shrubs, such as bengchi, moyna (Vangueria spinosa\ and kanta-nate {Amarantus spinosus), they are also straight but ascending as if to meet the nose of the grazing cow. The babla, when young, has ascend- ing spines, but as the plant grows to a small tree they become straight and horizontal. It is interest- ing to observe that in climbing plants the spines and prickles are rarely straight, but are bent or curved downwards. In such plants it is evident that they serve a double purpose: they defend the plant, but at the same time assist in elevating it by hook- ing on to objects that are near. The bagan-bilas,. Fig. 63.âShial-kanta (^r^s- â mone 7nexicana). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Bose, G. C. London, Blackie & Son Ltd.
Size: 1230px × 2033px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbotany, bookyear1920
