Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-08-26
LUSlTANlAN HERB.
sphim'n shadow and the African
piant LiNlnEhtonc E.und

spain'a sundcw and the African
Plant LtNinEstonc Found.
On the dry hcnths of Spain and Por.
tugal the eye is surprised TO see an
undoubtcd specimen of the marsh plant
called sundcw. 1t has long linear red
leaves, covered with hairs and dew
drops, Entripped insects abound. But
Die heath IS dry. The plants around
have hard leaves like heather or cram.
berries. They are. In botanIsts' slnng,
S"snp!iiics. ana no marsh plants ara
visible Has II droscra, or drOsoplyl-
tuin. Tor so lille Lusitaliinn herb Is
! AIMED. forgotten its nuturc? IL SO.
whence The supply of water for the
glands! 1T Is not SO. Drosophylium
has mol forgotten the family traditions
but has II long taproUt. which extends
SIX, eight or ten feet through the sur
face soil, usually dry ground, to the
stream of water which tricklcs under
meath. Like all lis c0ngcncrs, it ia llv-
Ing i'll contact with water, though its
associates on tho surface have their
roots III arid grounds.
In Britain there are two, perhaps
.s''NNI 'fN'i'Fp VI ItiNlNM J.,
, distinguished by the leaves, which In
! the one are round, on II hairy stulk, AMI
In the other long and narrow, on Il
| smooth pcdunrlc. Roth are common I'm
the marHliy lands of Scotland, ana tho
round lcaved variety Is common In
England where the ground Is favor.l-
bic.
As II worldwide plant the sliulew la
one of those plants which ut times arc
met suddenly by wanderers In The will
! derncas md recall to their minds the
/ distant and sweet scenes of home. A
| species Of The droSerM--and, If we do
not err the very species may bo seen
! IN the botanic gardens of Edinburgh
! gave similar delight to David Living
stone In one OF Ills first great Journeys.
In June, 1876, he was making his,
| way from the west to the east coast of
| Africa and had reached the murshy
: plateau OF the central watershed. near
| Lake pilolo. while passing across.
these intcrminahlc looking plains an
other beautiful plant attracted my Mt.
! tcntlon SO strongly that lsmountcd
| to examine IL. TO my great delight |
Found 1t to he an old home ncquaint.
ancc, n species Of druscru closely re.
( Sembling our own smdcw ODruscra an
! slicO. The flower stalk never uttains
| height of more than two or three
! Inches. and the leaves are covered with
| reddish hairs. each OF which has drop
of clammy fluid ut It's tip, making the
| Whole appear rs If spnngled over with
| small diamonds. | noticed Ii first II,
thu morning and lmaslard the appear
anco was caused by the sun shining on
drops of dew, hut rs 1t continued ia
maintain It's brlllancy during the hcat
of The day | proceeded to Investigate
the cause OF It's beauty and found TINT
| the points OF the hairs cxudod pure
/ liquid In apparently capsules OF clear
! Elutinons matter. They were thus like
/, 'icwdrops preserved from evaporation
! The clnmny fluid Ia Intended to cntraI
insects. which, dying on the leaf, prob
| amy afford nutrimcnt TO the plant"
| Livingstone, with the Intuition OF Il
/ powerful mind, strikes Oh the pcc,Iliur
| habit OF the rlroscra which explains Its
/ color. It's glandulnr excrcscenccs, its
worldwide extension and the spccia,
! I'i'tiN't when IL lElS4 eScllNu anon,
students such us Mr., Darwin IT feeds
on Insects II lives not. ns other plants
I on The pure minerals latent In earth
air and water. but on the same diluted
through Il body which once had life
| 1t Is II plant with something of the
habit of an animal The conspicuous
ruddy color attracts the insect, which
/, is cnught In the sticky liquor and I'M
rnled on the sharp hairs. The peculiar
nutrlmcnt gives the plant an cnsy sus
tenancc. 1t has no is~als: 1t has not
the same tlcrcc struggle to maintain
It's ground that the tough rooted plants
of the hillside endure, before which
| tho tender succrmh. Perchcd OH the
moss, it draws In by It's roots Il cease
less supply of water and Is sought by
\ Il food which Ia useless to other plants
hence 1t has littlo need for variation
! and, granting marslly land. there II
| finds home. Scotsman.
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Eating slowly.
n. /.