The story of the universe. Volume 3 (of 4) : $b The earth's garment : flora

"The story of the universe. Volume 3 (of 4)" by Esther Singleton is a popular-science anthology written in the early 20th century. Focused on “The Earth’s Garment: Flora,” it gathers accessible, illustrated essays by scientists and popular writers to explain how plants are built, how they reproduce and evolve, and how they pattern the world’s landscapes. Readers can expect clear treatments of plant structure, classification, and color, alongside vivid accounts of strange flowers, prehistoric forests, and global vegetation zones.

The opening of the volume moves from first principles to grand panoramas. It begins with a plain-language guide to the parts of a flowering plant—roots, leaves, and blossoms—and how pollen reaches the ovule through wind and insect aid, with many examples of forms like epiphytes, tendrils, and compound leaves. It then surveys early Mesozoic flora, describing the post-Carboniferous upheavals, the dominance of conifers and cycads, and emblematic lines such as Sequoias and gingko-like trees, with notes on the earliest palms and grasses. Next comes a concise overview of cryptogams and phanerogams, the rise of flowers, insect partnership, the role of color and scent, and how seeds ride wind and animals. Finally, a broad sketch of plant geography maps characteristic vegetation and crops across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, contrasting northern conifer belts, Mediterranean evergreens, tropical palms and spices, and the varied floras of steppes, deserts, and coasts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)