Botany; Geotropism; Plants -- Irritability and movements
We now come to a remarkable position of the leaves when asleep, which
is common to several species of Lupines. On the same leaf the shorter
leaflets, which generally face the centre of the plant, sink at night,
whilst the longer ones on the opposite side rise; the intermediate and
lateral ones merely twisting on their own axes. But there is some
variability with respect to which leaflets rise or fall. As might have
been expected from such diverse and complicated movements, the
base of each leaflet is developed (at least in the case of L. luteus)
into a pulvinus. The result is that all the leaflets on the same leaf
stand at night more or less highly inclined, or even quite vertically,
forming in this latter case a vertical star. This occurs with the
leaves of a species purchased under the name of L. pubescens; and in
the accompanying figures we see at A (Fig. 138) the leaves in their
diurnal position; and at B the same plant at night with the two upper
leaves having their leaflets almost vertical. At C another leaf, viewed
laterally, is shown with the leaflets quite vertical. It is chiefly or
exclusively the youngest leaves which form at night vertical stars. But
there
is much variability in the position of the leaves at night on the same
plant; some remaining with their leaflets almost horizontal, others
forming more or less highly inclined or vertical stars, and some with
all their leaflets sloping downwards, as in our first class of cases.
It is also a remarkable fact, that although all the plants produced
from the same lot of seeds were identical in appearance, yet some
individuals at night had the leaflets of all their leaves arranged so
as to form more or less highly inclined stars; others had them all
sloping downwards and never forming a star; and others, again, retained
them either in a horizontal position or raised them a little.
Fig. 138. Lupinus pubescens: A, leaf viewed laterally during the day;
B, same leaf at night; C, another leaf with the leaflet forming a
vertical star at night. Figures reduced.
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