Botany; Geotropism; Plants -- Irritability and movements
Besides describing the several modified forms of circumnutation, some
other subjects will be discussed. The two which have interested us most
are, firstly, the fact that with some seedling plants the uppermost
part alone is sensitive to light, and transmits an influence to the
lower part, causing it to bend. If therefore the upper part be wholly
protected from light, the lower part may be exposed for hours to it,
and yet does not become in the least bent, although this would have
occurred quickly if the upper part had been excited by light. Secondly,
with the radicles of seedlings, the tip is sensitive to various
stimuli, especially to very slight pressure, and when thus excited,
transmits an influence to the upper part, causing it to bend from the
pressed side. On the other hand, if the tip is subjected to the vapour
of water proceeding from one side, the upper part of the radicle bends
towards this side. Again it is the tip, as stated by Ciesielski, though
denied by others, which is sensitive to the attraction of gravity, and
by transmission causes the adjoining parts of the radicle to bend
towards the centre of the earth. These several cases of the effects of
contact, other irritants, vapour, light, and the
attraction of gravity being transmitted from the excited part for some
little distance along the organ in question, have an important bearing
on the theory of all such movements.
Terminology.—A brief explanation of some terms which will be used, must
here be given. With seedlings, the stem which supports the cotyledons
(i.e. the organs which represent the first leaves) has been called by
many botanists the hypocotyledonous stem, but for brevity sake we will
speak of it merely as the hypocotyl: the stem immediately above the
cotyledons will be called the epicotyl or plumule. The radicle can be
distinguished from the hypocotyl only by the presence of root-hairs and
the nature of its covering. The meaning of the word circumnutation has
already been explained. Authors speak of positive and negative
heliotropism,[5]—that is, the bending of an organ to or from the light;
but it is much more convenient to confine the word heliotropism to
bending towards the light, and to designate as apheliotropism bending
from the light. There is another reason for this change, for writers,
as we have observed, occasionally drop the adjectives positive and
negative, and thus introduce confusion into their discussions.
Diaheliotropism may express a position more or less transverse to the
light and induced by it. In like manner positive geotropism, or bending
towards the centre of the earth, will be called by us geotropism;
apogeotropism will mean bending in opposition to gravity or from the
centre of the earth; and diageotropism, a position more or less
transverse to the radius of the earth. The words heliotropism and
geotropism properly mean the act of moving in relation to the light or
the earth; but in the same manner as gravitation, though defined as
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