63. Chap. 63.-Plants Which Only Make Their Appearance At The End Of A Year. Plants Which Begin To Blossom At The Top. Plants Which Begin To Blossom At The Lower Part.

CHAP. 63.—PLANTS WHICH ONLY MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE AT THE END OF A YEAR. PLANTS WHICH BEGIN TO BLOSSOM AT THE TOP. PLANTS WHICH BEGIN TO BLOSSOM AT THE LOWER PART.

It is a remarkable thing that the herb lotus[1] and the ægilops[2] never make their appearance above ground till the end of a year after the seed has been sown. The anthemis,[3] too, offers the singular peculiarity that it begins to blossom at the top, while in all the other plants which flower gradually, it is at the lower part that the blossom first makes its appearance.

1. Probably the Melilotus cœrulea of Linnæus, Fée says. Desfontaines mentions the Melilotus Cretica or Italica.

2. The Avena fatua or sterilis; the barren oat. See B. xviii. c. 44.

3. See B. xxii. c. 26.