Botany; Geotropism; Plants -- Irritability and movements
It has also been shown in Chap. I. that a very young Selaginella
(Lycopodiaceæ, Fam. 6), only .4 inch in height, plainly circumnutated;
we may therefore conclude that older plants, whilst growing, would do
the same.
(35.) Lunularia vulgaris (Hepaticae, Fam. 11, Muscales).—The earth in
an old flower-pot was coated with this plant, bearing gemmae. A highly
inclined frond, which projected .3 inch above the soil and was .4 inch
in breadth, was selected for observation. A glass hair of extreme
tenuity, .75 inch in length, with its end whitened, was cemented with
shellac to the frond at right angles to its breadth; and a white stick
with a minute black spot was driven into the soil close behind the end
of the hair. The white end could be accurately brought into a line with
the black spot, and dots could thus be successively made on the
vertical glass-plate in front. Any movement of the frond would of
course be exhibited and increased by the long glass hair; and the black
spot was placed so close behind the end of the hair, relatively to the
distance of the glass-plate in front, that the movement of the end was
magnified about 40 times. Nevertheless, we are convinced that our
tracing gives a fairly faithful representation of the movements of the
frond. In the intervals between each observation, the plant was covered
by a small bell-glass. The frond, as already stated,
was highly inclined, and the pot stood in front of a north-east window.
During the five first days the frond moved downwards or became less
inclined; and the long line which was traced was strongly zigzag, with
loops occasionally formed or nearly formed; and this indicated
circumnutation. Whether the sinking was due to epinastic growth, or
apheliotropism, we do not know. As the sinking was slight on the fifth
day, a new tracing was begun on the sixth day (Oct. 25th), and was
continued for 47 h.; it is here given (Fig. 120). Another tracing was
made on the next day (27th) and the frond was found to be still
circumnutating, for during 14 h. 30 m. it changed its course completely
(besides minor changes) 10 times. It was casually observed for two more
days, and was seen to be continually moving.
Fig. 120. Lunularia vulgaris: circumnutation of a frond, traced from 9
A.M. Oct 25th to 8 A.M. 27th.
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