I am confirmed in this belief by the effects of immersing a leaf of
Dionaea in a moderately strong solution of sugar; the leaf having been
previously left for 1 hr. 10 m. in water without any effect; for now
the lobes closed rather quickly, the tips of the marginal spikes
crossing in 2 m. 30 s., and the leaf being completely shut in 3 m.
Three leaves were then immersed in a solution of half an ounce of sugar
to a fluid ounce of water, and all three leaves closed quickly. As I
was doubtful whether this was due to the cells on the upper surface of
the lobes, or to the sensitive filaments, being acted on by exosmose,
one leaf was first tried by pouring a little of the same solution in
the furrow between the lobes over the midrib, which is the chief seat
of movement. It was left there for some time, but no movement ensued.
The whole upper surface of leaf was then painted (except close round
the bases of the sensitive filaments, which I could not do without risk
of touching them) with the same solution, but no effect was produced.
So that the cells on the upper surface are not thus affected. But when,
after many trials, I succeeded in getting a drop of the solution to
cling to one of the filaments, the leaf quickly closed. Hence we may, I
think, conclude that the solution causes fluid to pass out of the
delicate cells of the filaments by exosmose; and that this sets up some
molecular change in their contents, analogous to that which must be
produced by a touch.
The immersion of leaves in a solution of sugar affects them for a much
longer time than does an immersion in water, or a touch on the
filaments; for in these latter cases the lobes begin to re-expand in
less than a day. On the other hand, of the three leaves which were
immersed for a short time in the solution, and were then washed by
means of a syringe inserted [page 294] between the lobes, one
re-expanded after two days; a second after seven days; and the third
after nine days. The leaf which closed, owing to a drop of the solution
having adhered to one of the filaments, opened after two days.