Botany; Geotropism; Plants -- Irritability and movements
In the course of the present volume it will be shown that apparently
every growing part of every plant is continually circumnutating, though
often on a small scale. Even the stems of seedlings before they have
broken through the ground, as well as their buried radicles,
circumnutate, as far as the pressure of the surrounding earth permits.
In this universally present movement we have the basis or groundwork
for the acquirement, according to the requirements of the plant, of the
most diversified movements. Thus, the great sweeps made by the stems of
twining plants, and by the tendrils of other climbers, result from a
mere increase in the amplitude of the ordinary movement of
circumnutation. The position which young leaves and other organs
ultimately assume is acquired by the circumnutating movement being
increased in some one direction. the leaves of various plants are said
to sleep at night, and it will be seen that their blades then assume a
vertical position through modified circumnutation, in order to protect
their upper surfaces from being chilled through radiation. The
movements of various organs to the light, which are so general
throughout the vegetable kingdom, and occasionally from the light, or
transversely with respect to it, are all modified
forms of circumnutation; as again are the equally prevalent movements
of stems, etc., towards the zenith, and of roots towards the centre of
the earth. In accordance with these conclusions, a considerable
difficulty in the way of evolution is in part removed, for it might
have been asked, how did all these diversified movements for the most
different purposes first arise? As the case stands, we know that there
is always movement in progress, and its amplitude, or direction, or
both, have only to be modified for the good of the plant in relation
with internal or external stimuli.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account