The Power of Movement in
Plants
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by Charles Darwin (#22 in our series by Charles Darwin)
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Title: The Power of Movement in Plants
Author: Charles Darwin
Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5605] [Most recently updated:
August 14, 2002]
Edition: 11
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE
POWER OF MOVEMENT IN PLANTS ***
This eBook was produced by Sue Asscher.
[page i.]
THE
POWER OF MOVEMENT
IN
PLANTS.
[page ii.]
[page iii.]
THE
POWER OF MOVEMENT
IN
PLANTS.
BY CHARLES DARWIN, LL.D., F.R.S.
ASSISTED BY
FRANCIS DARWIN.
[page iv.]
[page v.]
CONTENTS.
-----
INTRODUCTION...Page 1-9.
CHAPTER I.
THE CIRCUMNUTATING MOVEMENTS OF SEEDLING
PLANTS.
Brassica oleracea, circumnutation of the radicle, of the arched
hypocotyl whilst still buried beneath the ground, whilst rising above the
ground and straightening itself, and when erect--Circumnutation of the
cotyledons-- Rate of movement--Analogous observations on various
organs in species of Githago, Gossypium, Oxalis, Tropaeolum, Citrus,
Aesculus, of several Leguminous and Cucurbitaceous genera, Opuntia,
Helianthus, Primula, Cyclamen, Stapelia, Cerinthe, Nolana, Solanum,
Beta, Ricinus, Quercus, Corylus, Pinus, Cycas, Canna, Allium,
Asparagus, Phalaris, Zea, Avena, Nephrodium, and Selaginella...10-66
CHAPTER II.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ON THE MOVEMENTS AND
GROWTH OF SEEDLING PLANTS.
Generality of the circumnutating movement--Radicles, their
circumnutation of service--Manner in which they penetrate the
ground--Manner in which hypocotyls and other organs break through
the ground by being arched-- Singular manner of germination in
Megarrhiza, etc.--Abortion of cotyledons- -Circumnutation of
hypocotyls and epicotyls whilst still buried and arched- -Their power of
straightening themselves--Bursting of the seed-coats-- Inherited effect
of the arching process in hypo- [page vi.] gean
hypocotyls--Circumnutation of hypocotyls and epicotyls when erect--
Circumnutation of cotyledons--Pulvini or joints of cotyledons, duration
of their activity, rudimentary in Oxalis corniculata, their development--
Sensitiveness of cotyledons to light and consequent disturbance of their
periodic movements--Sensitiveness of cotyledons to contact...Page
67-128
CHAPTER III.
SENSITIVENESS OF THE APEX OF THE RADICLE TO
CONTACT AND TO OTHER IRRITANTS.
Manner in which radicles bend when they encounter an obstacle in the
soil-- Vicia faba, tips of radicles highly sensitive to contact and other
irritants--Effects of too high a temperature--Power of discriminating
between objects attached on opposite sides--Tips of secondary radicles
sensitive--Pisum, tips of radicles sensitive--Effects of such
sensitiveness in overcoming geotropism--Secondary
radicles--Phaseolus, tips of radicles hardly sensitive to contact, but
highly sensitive to caustic and to the removal of a
slice--Tropaeolum--Gossypium--Cucurbita--Raphanus--Aesculus, tip
not sensitive to slight contact, highly sensitive to caustic--Quercus, tip
highly sensitive to contact--Power of discrimination--Zea, tip highly
sensitive, secondary radicles--Sensitiveness of radicles to moist air--
Summary of chapter...129-200
CHAPTER IV.
THE CIRCUMNUTATING MOVEMENTS OF THE SEVERAL
PARTS OF MATURE PLANTS.
Circumnutation of stems: concluding remarks on--Circumnutation of
stolons: aid thus afforded in winding amongst the stems of surrounding
plants-- Circumnutation of flower-stems--Circumnutation of
Dicotyledonous leaves-- Singular oscillatory movement of leaves of
Dionaea--Leaves of Cannabis sink at night--Leaves of
Gymnosperms--Of Monocotyledons--Cryptogams--Concluding
remarks on the circumnutation of leaves; generally rise in the evening
and sink in the morning...201-262 [page vii.]
CHAPTER V.
MODIFIED CIRCUMNUTATION: CLIMBING PLANTS;
EPINASTIC AND HYPONASTIC MOVEMENTS.
Circumnutation modified through innate causes or through the action of
external conditions--Innate causes--Climbing plants; similarity of their
movements with those of ordinary plants; increased amplitude;
occasional points of difference--Epinastic growth of young
leaves--Hyponastic growth of the hypocotyls and epicotyls of
seedlings--Hooked tips of climbing and other plants due to modified
circumnutation--Ampelopsis tricuspidata-- Smithia
Pfundii--Straightening of the tip due to hyponasty--Epinastic growth
and circumnutation of the flower-peduncles of Trifolium repens and
Oxalis carnosa...Page 263-279
CHAPTER VI.
MODIFIED CIRCUMNUTATION: SLEEP OR NYCTITROPIC
MOVEMENTS, THEIR USE: SLEEP OF COTYLEDONS.
Preliminary sketch of the sleep or nyctitropic movements of leaves--
Presence of pulvini--The lessening of radiation the final cause of
nyctitropic movements--Manner of trying experiments on leaves of
Oxalis, Arachis, Cassia, Melilotus, Lotus and Marsilea and on the
cotyledons of Mimosa--Concluding remarks on radiation from
leaves--Small differences in the conditions make a great difference in
the result
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