Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by David Price, email [email protected]
from the 1906 John Murray edition.

THE MOVEMENTS AND HABITS OF CLIMBING PLANTS

PREFACE

This Essay first appeared in the ninth volume of the 'Journal of the
Linnean Society,' published in 1865. It is here reproduced in a
corrected and, I hope, clearer form, with some additional facts. The
illustrations were drawn by my son, George Darwin. Fritz Muller, after
the publication of my paper, sent to the Linnean Society (Journal, vol.
ix., p. 344) some interesting observations on the climbing plants of
South Brazil, to which I shall frequently refer. Recently two important
memoirs, chiefly on the difference in growth between the upper and
lower sides of tendrils, and on the mechanism of the movements of
twining-plants, by Dr. Hugo de Vries, have appeared in the 'Arbeiten
des Botanischen Instituts in Wurzburg,' Heft. iii., 1873. These memoirs
ought to be carefully studied by every one interested in the subject, as I
can here give only references to the more important points. This
excellent observer, as well as Professor Sachs, {1} attributes all the
movements of tendrils to rapid growth along one side; but, from
reasons assigned towards the close of my fourth chapter, I cannot
persuade myself that this holds good with respect to those due to a
touch. In order that the reader may know what points have interested
me most, I may call his attention to certain tendril-bearing plants; for
instance, Bignonia capreolata, Cobaea, Echinocystis, and Hanburya,
which display as beautiful adaptations as can be found in any part of
the kingdom of nature. It is, also, an interesting fact that intermediate
states between organs fitted for widely different functions, may be
observed on the same individual plant of Corydalis claviculata and the
common vine; and these cases illustrate in a striking manner the
principle of the gradual evolution of species.

APPENDIX TO PREFACE (1882).

Since the publication of this Edition two papers by eminent botanists
have appeared; Schwendener, 'Das Winden der Pflanzen'
(Monatsberichte der Berliner Akademie, Dec. 1881), and J. Sachs,
'Notiz uber Schlingpflanzen' (Arbeiten des botanischen Instituts in
Wurzburg, Bd. ii. p. 719, 1882). The view "that the capacity of
revolving, on which most climbers depend, is inherent, though
undeveloped, in almost every plant in the vegetable kingdom"
('Climbing Plants,' p. 205), has been confirmed by the observations on
circumnutation since given in 'The Power of Movement in Plants.'

ERRATA.

On pp. 28, 32, 40, 53, statements are made with reference to the
supposed acceleration of the revolving movement towards the light. It
appears from the observations given in 'The Power of Movement in
Plants,' p. 451, that these conclusions were drawn from insufficient
observations, and are erroneous.

THE MOVEMENTS AND HABITS OF CLIMBING PLANTS.

CHAPTER I.
--TWINING PLANTS.