Propionic Acid.—Three leaves were immersed in ninety minims of a
mixture of one part to 437 of water; in 1 hr. 50 m. there was no
inflection; but after 3 hrs. 40 m. one leaf was greatly inflected, and
the other two slightly. The inflection continued to increase, so that
in 8 hrs. all three leaves were closely inflected. Next morning, after
20 hrs., most of the glands were very pale, but some few were almost
black. No mucus had been secreted, and the surrounding fluid was only
just perceptibly tinted of a pale pink. After 46 hrs. the leaves became
slightly flaccid and were evidently killed, as was afterwards proved to
be the case by keeping them in water. The protoplasm in the closely
inflected tentacles was not in the least aggregated, but towards their
bases it was collected in little brownish masses at the bottoms of the
cells. This protoplasm was dead, for on leaving the leaf in a solution
of carbonate of ammonia, no aggregation ensued. Propionic acid is
highly poisonous to Drosera, like its ally acetic acid, but induces
inflection at a much slower rate.
Oleic Acid (given me by Prof. Frankland).—Three leaves were immersed in
this acid; some inflection was almost immediately caused, which
increased slightly, but then ceased, and the leaves seemed killed. Next
morning they were rather shrivelled, and many of the glands had fallen
off the tentacles. Drops of this acid were placed on the discs of four
leaves; in 40 m. all the tentacles were greatly inflected, excepting
the extreme marginal ones; and many of these after 3 hrs. became
inflected. I was led to try this acid from supposing that it was
present (which does not seem to be the case)* in olive oil, the action
of which is anomalous. Thus drops of this oil placed on the disc do not
cause the outer tentacles to be inflected; yet when minute drops were
added to the secretion surrounding the glands of the outer tentacles,
these were occasionally, but by no means always, inflected. Two leaves
were also immersed in this oil, and there
* See articles on Glycerine and Oleic Acid in Watts’ ‘Dict. of
Chemistry.’ [page 193]
was no inflection for about 12 hrs.; but after 23 hrs. almost all the
tentacles were inflected. Three leaves were likewise immersed in
unboiled linseed oil, and soon became somewhat, and in 3 hrs. greatly,
inflected. After 1 hr. the secretion round the glands was coloured
pink. I infer from this latter fact that the power of linseed oil to
cause inflection cannot be attributed to the albumin which it is said
to contain.
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