Botany; Geotropism; Plants -- Irritability and movements
It has been stated that some of the leaflets experimented on were
fastened close to the cork, and others at a height of from ½ to 3/4 of
an inch above it; and that whenever, after exposure to a frost, any
difference could be detected in their states, the closely pinned ones
had suffered most. We attributed this difference to the air, not cooled
by radiation, having been prevented from circulating freely beneath the
closely pinned leaflets. That there was really a difference in the
temperature of leaves treated in these two different methods, was
plainly shown on one occasion; for after the exposure of a pot with
plants of Melilotus dentata for 2 h. to a clear sky (the temperature on
the surrounding grass being –2° C.), it was manifest that more dew had
congealed into hoar-frost on the closely pinned leaflets, than on those
which stood horizontally
a little above the cork. Again, the tips of some few leaflets, which
had been pinned close to the cork, projected a little beyond the edge,
so that the air could circulate freely round them. This occurred with
six leaflets of Oxalis acetosella, and their tips certainly suffered
rather less then the rest of the same leaflets; for on the following
morning they were still slightly green. The same result followed, even
still more clearly, in two cases with leaflets of Melilotus officinalis
which projected a little beyond the cork; and in two other cases some
leaflets which were pinned close to the cork were injured, whilst other
free leaflets on the same leaves, which had not space to rotate and
assume their proper vertical position, were not at all injured.
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