Seed Dispersal

A dandelion's floating fruit and a lily's opening pod reveal two different ways plants spread. W. J. Beal turns such familiar sights into a practical introduction to botany, written for young students and their teachers. His short illustrated chapters consider movement through roots and stems as well as the transport of seeds by wind, water, animals, and people. The preface identifies his own observations as the source of most of the book's accounts.

Close attention to small changes gives the explanations their interest. Beal follows the dandelion as it protects its developing fruits, then opens its feathery heads in dry weather. He shows how a lily pod releases seeds gradually as wind shakes its flexible stem. Comparisons with other plants encourage further observation in gardens, fields, and roadsides. Readers interested in natural history or teaching outdoors will find concrete examples of how ordinary plants reach new ground.