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
When a revolving tendril strikes against a stick, the branches quickly
bend round and clasp it. The little hooks here play an important part,
as they prevent the branches from being dragged away by the rapid
revolving movement, before they have had time to clasp the stick
securely. This is especially the case when only the extremity of a
branch has caught hold of a support. As soon as a tendril has bent a
smooth stick or a thick rugged post, or has come into contact with planed
wood (for it can adhere temporarily even to so smooth a surface as this),
the same peculiar movements may be observed as those described under
_Bignonia capreolata_ and _Eccremocarpus_. The branches repeatedly lift
themselves up and down; those which have their hooks already directed
downwards remaining in this position and securing the tendril, whilst the
others twist about until they succeed in arranging themselves in
conformity with every irregularity of the surface, and in bringing their
hooks into contact with the wood. The use of the hooks was well shown by
giving the tendrils tubes and slips of glass to catch; for these, though
temporarily seized, were invariably lost, either during the
re-arrangement of the branches or ultimately when spiral contraction
ensued.
The perfect manner in which the branches arranged themselves, creeping
like rootlets over every inequality of the surface and into any deep
crevice, is a pretty sight; for it is perhaps more effectually performed
by this than by any other species. The action is certainly more
conspicuous, as the upper surfaces of the main stem, as well as of every
branch to the extreme hooks, are angular and green, whilst the lower
surfaces are rounded and purple. I was led to infer, as in former cases,
that a less amount of light guided these movements of the branches of the
tendrils. I made many trials with black and white cards and glass tubes
to prove it, but failed from various causes; yet these trials
countenanced the belief. As a tendril consists of a leaf split into
numerous segments, there is nothing surprising in all the segments
turning their upper surfaces towards the light, as soon as the tendril is
caught and the revolving movement is arrested. But this will not account
for the whole movement, for the segments actually bend or curve to the
dark side besides turning round on their axes so that their upper
surfaces may face the light.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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