The Movements and Habits of Climbing PlantsDarwin, Charles
Science
The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants
Darwin, Charles
Climbing plants; Geotropism; Plants; Plants -- Irritability and movements
_Clematis flammula_.—The rather thick, straight, and stiff shoots, whilst
growing vigorously in the spring, make small oval revolutions, following
the sun in their course. Four were made at an average rate of 3 hrs. 45
m. The longer axis of the oval, described by the extreme tip, was
directed at right angles to the line joining the opposite leaves; its
length was in one case only 1⅜, and in another case 1¾ inch; so that the
young leaves were moved a very short distance. The shoots of the same
plant observed in midsummer, when growing not so quickly, did not revolve
at all. I cut down another plant in the early summer, so that by August
1st it had formed new and moderately vigorous shoots; these, when
observed under a bell-glass, were on some days quite stationary, and on
other days moved to and fro only about the eighth of an inch.
Consequently the revolving power is much enfeebled in this species, and
under unfavourable circumstances is completely lost. The shoot must
depend for coming into contact with surrounding objects on the probable,
though not ascertained spontaneous movement of the leaves, on rapid
growth, and on movement from the wind. Hence, perhaps, it is that the
petioles have acquired a high degree of sensitiveness as a compensation
for the little power of movement in the shoots.
The petioles are bowed downwards, and have the same general hook-like
form as in _C. viticella_. The medial petiole and the lateral
sub-petioles are sensitive, especially the much bent terminal portion.
As the sensitiveness is here greater than in any other species of the
genus observed by me, and is in itself remarkable, I will give fuller
details. The petioles, when so young that they have not separated from
one another, are not sensitive; when the lamina of a leaflet has grown to
a quarter of an inch in length (that is, about one-sixth of its full
size), the sensitiveness is highest; but at this period the petioles are
relatively much more fully developed than are the blades of the leaves.
Full-grown petioles are not in the least sensitive. A thin stick placed
so as to press lightly against a petiole, having a leaflet a quarter of
an inch in length, caused the petiole to bend in 3 hrs. 15 m. In another
case a petiole curled completely round a stick in 12 hrs. These petioles
were left curled for 24 hrs., and the sticks were then removed; but they
never straightened themselves. I took a twig, thinner than the petiole
itself, and with it lightly rubbed several petioles four times up and
down; these in 1 hr. 45 m. became slightly curled; the curvature
increased during some hours and then began to decrease, but after 25 hrs.
from the time of rubbing a vestige of the curvature remained. Some other
petioles similarly rubbed twice, that is, once up and once down, became
perceptibly curved in about 2 hrs. 30 m., the terminal sub-petiole moving
more than the lateral sub-petioles; they all became straight again in
between 12 hrs. and 14 hrs.
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