短命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)菊(ju)(ju)（The short-lived Chrysanthemum）是世界上生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)周期(qi)最短的(de)(de)植物(wu)之一，它的(de)(de)壽(shou)命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)還不到一個月。這種(zhong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)活習(xi)性(xing)是它適應特殊(shu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)存(cun)環境(jing)的(de)(de)結(jie)果。短命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)菊(ju)(ju)又叫(jiao)"齒子草"，是菊(ju)(ju)科植物(wu)，生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)活在非洲撒(sa)哈(ha)拉(la)大沙漠中。那里(li)長(chang)期(qi)干(gan)旱，很少降雨。許(xu)多沙漠植物(wu)都有退(tui)化的(de)(de)葉片、保存(cun)水(shui)分的(de)(de)本領來適應干(gan)旱環境(jing)。短命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)菊(ju)(ju)卻與眾不同，它形(xing)成(cheng)了(le)迅速(su)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)和成(cheng)熟(shu)的(de)(de)特殊(shu)習(xi)性(xing)。只要沙漠里(li)稍(shao)微降了(le)一點雨，地(di)面(mian)稍(shao)稍(shao)有點濕潤，它就立(li)刻發(fa)芽，生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)開花。整個一生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)的(de)(de)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)命(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)周期(qi)，只有短短的(de)(de)三四個星期(qi)。

它(ta)的舌狀(zhuang)花(hua)排列在頭狀(zhuang)花(hua)序周圍(wei)，像(xiang)鋸齒一樣(yang)。有趣的是，短命菊的花(hua)對濕度極其敏感，空(kong)氣干燥時就趕快(kuai)閉合起來(lai);稍(shao)稍(shao)濕潤時就迅速開(kai)放，快(kuai)速結果(guo)。果(guo)實熟(shu)了，縮(suo)成(cheng)球形，隨風飄滾(gun)，傳播他鄉，繁衍后代。由(you)于它(ta)生(sheng)命短促(cu)，來(lai)去匆匆，所以才得“短命菊”之(zhi)名。