. The story of the plants [microform]. Plants; Botany; Plantes; Botanique. / ^"^ MOBE MABBIAGE CUSTOMS. 129 way cross-fertilisation is rendered almost a dead certainty. The result of these various clever dodges IS that the orchids have become one of the dominant plant-families of the world, and in the tropics usurp many of the best and most favoured positions (Fig. 24). Darwin has written a most romantic book on the numerous devices by which orchids alone attract insects to fertilise them. I will say no more of this family, therefore —the highest and strangest among the threefold flowers
. The story of the plants [microform]. Plants; Botany; Plantes; Botanique. / ^"^ MOBE MABBIAGE CUSTOMS. 129 way cross-fertilisation is rendered almost a dead certainty. The result of these various clever dodges IS that the orchids have become one of the dominant plant-families of the world, and in the tropics usurp many of the best and most favoured positions (Fig. 24). Darwin has written a most romantic book on the numerous devices by which orchids alone attract insects to fertilise them. I will say no more of this family, therefore —the highest and strangest among the threefold flowers —save merely to advise those who wish to know more of this curious subject to look it up in his charming volume. Instead of pursuing the matter at issue further, I will give one final example in an opposite direction. An opposite direction, I say, because all the threefold flowers we have hitherto been considering are examples of a strict upward move- ment of evolution. Each group we have ex- amined has been higher and more complex than the group before it. But I will now show you an instance, if not of degeneracy, at least of extreme simplification, which yet produces in the end the best possible results. This instance is that of the common English arum, known to children as cuckoo-pint or "lords and ladies'* (Fig. 25).. no. 24.—THE TWO POLLEN-MASSES, VEBT MUCH ENLABQED,. 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 Allen, Grant, 1848-1899. London : G. Newnes
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectbotany, booksubjectplants
