. The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution;. Botany. DISPERSAL BY ANIMALS. 873 being eaten. Rogeria and Pedalium, mentioned on p. 875, also belong to this family. In other plants it is the fruit-stalk instead of the style which is transformed mto a claw-like structure. In Cyclamen Europcemn, for instance, the fruit-stalk undergoes spiral torsion and contraction. Formerly it was supposed that the object of this curious phenomenon was to draw the fruits into the earth, where the seeds would be favourably situated for germination. But this idea does not c
. The natural history of plants, their forms, growth, reproduction, and distribution;. Botany. DISPERSAL BY ANIMALS. 873 being eaten. Rogeria and Pedalium, mentioned on p. 875, also belong to this family. In other plants it is the fruit-stalk instead of the style which is transformed mto a claw-like structure. In Cyclamen Europcemn, for instance, the fruit-stalk undergoes spiral torsion and contraction. Formerly it was supposed that the object of this curious phenomenon was to draw the fruits into the earth, where the seeds would be favourably situated for germination. But this idea does not correspond to actual fact. The green capsules are drawn underground in the late autumn. Kg. 478.—Fruits with hooks. I Marrubium vulgare. 2 Medicago agresiis. 3 Rumex tiepalensis. * Scorpiwrus sulcata. * Agrimonia odorata. 6 Orlaya grandijlora. ? Pterantkus echinatus. 8 Jtochelia Persica. 9 Onobryehis cequidentata. lo Triwmfetta Plumieri. n Hooked bristles on the fruit of Triwmfetta Plumieri magnified. 12 Uedicago radiata. '8 Xanthium spinosum. 1* CeratocepJialus falcatus. 16 Geum urhanum. i* A single fallen fruit of Geum wbcmum. " Lappa major. when the seeds are still unripe. They pass the winter in the earth, and do not attain to complete maturity until the following summer. The desiccation and severance of the twisted fruit-stalk then has the eifect of pulling the fruit out of the ground again, the lower portion of the stalk rots, and the part which is left forms a claw surmounting the capsule. The latter, which is stiU full of seeds, lies loose on the gi'ound, and adheres to the foot of any animal that treads on it. The manner in which these seeds are besides dispersed by ants has already been referred to on p. 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 Kerner von Marilaun, Anton, 1831-18
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbotany, bookyear1895
