The Power of Movement in Plants by Charles Darwin (best fiction books to read TXT) 📕

The petiole of a leaf was fixed to a cork support, close to the point whence the four pinnae diverge, with a short fine filament cemented longitudinally to one of the two terminal pinnae, and a graduated semicircle was placed close beneath it. By looking vertically down, its angular or lateral movements could be measured with accuracy. Between noon and 4.15 P.M. the pinna changed its position to one side by only 7o; but not continuously in the same direction, as it moved four times to one side, and three times to the opposite side,

[page 377]

in one instance to the extent of 16o. This pinna, therefore circumnutated.

Later in the evening the four pinnae approach each other, and the one which was observed moved inwards 59o between noon and 6.45 P.M. Ten observations were made in the course of 2 h. 20 m. (at average intervals of 14 m.), between 4.25 and 6.45 P.M.; and there was now, when the leaf was going to sleep, no swaying from side to side, but a steady inward movement. Here therefore there is in the evening the same conversion of a circumnutating into a steady movement in one direction, as in the case of the main petiole.

 

It has also been stated that each separate leaflet circumnutates. A pinna was cemented with shellac on the summit of a little stick driven firmly into the ground, immediately beneath a pair of leaflets, to the midribs of both of which excessively fine glass filaments were attached. This treatment did not injure the leaflets, for they went to sleep in the usual manner, and long retained their sensitiveness. the movements of one of them were traced during 49 h., as shown in Fig. 158. On the first day the leaflet sank down till 11.30 A.M., and then rose till late in the evening in a zigzag line, indicating circumnutation. On the second day, when more accustomed to its new state, it oscillated twice up and twice down during the 24 h. This plant was subjected to a rather low temperature, viz., 62o -

64o F.; had it been kept warmer, no doubt the movements of the leaflet would have been much more rapid and complicated. It may be seen in the diagram that the ascending and descending lines do not coincide; but the large amount of lateral movement in the evening is the result of the leaflets bending towards the apex of the leaf when going to sleep. Another leaflet was casually observed, and found to be continually circumnutating during the same length of time.

 

The circumnutation of the leaves is not destroyed by their being subjected to moderately long continued darkness; but the proper periodicity of their movements is lost. Some very young seedlings were kept during two days in the dark (temp. 57o - 59o F.) except when the circumnutation of their stems was occasionally observed; and on the evening of the second day the leaflets did not fully and properly go to sleep. The pot was then placed for three days in a dark cupboard, under nearly the same temperature, and at the close of this period the leaflets showed no signs of sleeping, and were only slightly sensitive to a touch. On the following day the stem was cemented to a

[page 378]

stick, and the movements of two leaves were traced on a vertical glass during 72 h. The plants were still kept in the dark, excepting that at each observation, which lasted 3 or 4 minutes, Fig 158. Mimosa pudica: circumnutation and nyctitropic movement of a leaflet (with pinna secured), traced on a vertical glass, from 8 A.M. Sept.

14th to 9 A.M. 16th.

 

they were illuminated by two candles. On the third day the leaflets still exhibited a vestige of sensitiveness when forcibly pressed, but in the evening they showed no signs of sleep. Nevertheless, their petioles continued to circumnutate distinctly,

[page 379]

although the proper order of their movements in relation to the day and night was wholly lost. Thus, one leaf descended during the first two nights (i.e. between 10 P.M. and 7 A.M. next morning) instead of ascending, and on the third night it moved chiefly in a lateral direction. The second leaf behaved in an equally abnormal manner, moving laterally during the first night, descending greatly during the second, and ascending to an unusual height during the third night.

 

With plants kept at a high temperature and exposed to the light, the most rapid circumnutating movement of the apex of a leaf which was observed, amounted to 1/500 of an inch in one second; and this would have equalled 1/8 of an inch in a minute, had not the leaf occasionally stood still. The actual distance travelled by the apex (as ascertained by a measure placed close to the leaf) was on one occasion nearly 3/4 of an inch in a vertical direction in 15 m.; and on another occasion 5/8 of an inch in 60 m.; but there was also some lateral movement.

 

Mimosa albida.*—The leaves of this plant, one of which is here figured (Fig. 159) reduced to 2/3 of the natural size, present some Fig. 159. Mimosa albida: leaf seen from vertically above.

 

interesting peculiarities. It consists of a long petiole bearing only two pinnae (here represented as rather more divergent than is usual), each with two pairs of leaflets. But the inner

 

* Mr. Thiselton Dyer informs us that this Peruvian plant (which was sent to us from Kew) is considered by Mr. Bentham (‘Trans. Linn. Soc.,’ vol. xxx.

p. 390) to be “the species or variety which most commonly represents the M.

sensitiva of our gardens.”

[page 380]

 

basal leaflets are greatly reduced in size, owing probably to the want of space for their full development, so that they may be considered as almost rudimentary. They vary somewhat in size, and both occasionally disappear, or only one. Nevertheless, they are not in the least rudimentary in function, for they are sensitive, extremely heliotropic, circumnutate at nearly the same rate as the fully developed leaflets, and assume when asleep exactly the same position. With M. pudica the inner leaflets at the base and between the pinnae are likewise much shortened and obliquely truncated; this fact was well seen in some seedlings of M. pudica, in which the third leaf above the cotyledons bore only two pinnae, each with only 3

or 4 pairs of leaflets, of which the inner basal one was less than half as long as its fellow; so that the whole leaf resembled pretty closely that of M. albida. In this latter species the main petiole terminates in a little point, and on each side of this there is a pair of minute, flattened, lancet-shaped projections, hairy on their margins, which drop off and disappear soon after the leaf is fully developed. There can hardly be a doubt that these little projections are the last and fugacious representatives of an additional pair of leaflets to each pinna; for the outer one is twice as broad as the inner one, and a little longer, viz.

7/100 of an inch, whilst the inner one is only 5/100 - 6/100 long. Now if the basal pair of leaflets of the existing leaves were to become rudimentary, we should expect that the rudiments would still exhibit some trace of their present great inequality of size. The conclusion that the pinnae of the parent-form of M. albida possessed at least three pairs of leaflets, instead of, as at present, only two, is supported by the structure of the first true leaf; for this consists of a simple petiole, often bearing three pairs of leaflets. This latter fact, as well as the presence of the rudiments, both lead to the conclusion that M. albida is descended from a form the leaves of which bore more than two pairs of leaflets. The second leaf above the cotyledons resembles in all respects the leaves on fully developed plants.

 

When the leaves go to sleep, each leaflet twists half round, so as to present its edge to the zenith, and comes into close contact with its fellow. The pinnae also approach each other closely, so that the four terminal leaflets come together. The large basal leaflets (with the little rudimentary ones in contact with them) move inwards and forwards, so as to embrace the outside of the united terminal leaflets, and thus all eight leaflets

[page 381]

(the rudimentary ones included) form together a single vertical packet. The two pinnae at the same time that they approach each other sink downwards, and thus instead of extending horizontally in the same line with the main petiole, as during the day, they depend at night at about 45o, or even at a greater angle, beneath the horizon. The movement of the main petiole seems to be variable; we have seen it in the evening 27o lower than during the day; but sometimes in nearly the same position. Nevertheless, a sinking movement in the evening and a rising one during the night is probably the normal course, for this was well-marked in the petiole of the first-formed true leaf.

 

The circumnutation of the main petiole of a young leaf was traced during 2

3/4 days, and was considerable in extent, but less complex than that of M.

pudica. The movement was much more lateral than is usual with circumnutating leaves, and this was the sole peculiarity which it presented. The apex of one of the terminal leaflets was seen under the microscope to travel 1/50 of an inch in 3 minutes.

 

Mimosa marginata.—The opposite leaflets rise up and approach each other at night, but do not come into close contact, except in the case of very young leaflets on vigorous shoots. Full-grown leaflets circumnutate during the day slowly and on a small scale.

 

Schrankia uncinata (Tribe 20).—A leaf consists of two or three pairs of pinnae, each bearing many small leaflets. These, when the plant is asleep, are directed forwards and become imbricated. The angle between the two terminal pinnae was diminished at night, in one case by 15o; and they sank almost vertically downwards. The hinder pairs of pinnae likewise sink downwards, but do not converge, that is, move towards the apex of the leaf.

The main petiole does not become depressed, at least during the evening. In this latter respect, as well as in the sinking of the pinnae, there is a marked difference between the nyctitropic movements of the present plant and of Mimosa pudica. It should, however, be added that our specimen was not in a very vigorous condition. The pinnae of Schrankia aculeata also sink at night.

 

Acacia Farnesiana (Tribe 22).—The different appearance presented by a bush of this plant when asleep and awake is wonderful. The same leaf in the two states is shown in the following figure (Fig. 160). The leaflets move towards the apex of the pinna and become imbricated, and the pinnae then look like bits of dangling string. The following remarks and measurements [page 382]

do not fully apply to the small leaf here figured. The pinnae move forwards and at the same time sink downwards, whilst the main petiole rises considerably. With respect to the degree of movement: the two terminal pinnae of one specimen formed together an angle of 100o during the day, and at night of only 38o, so each had moved 31o forwards. The penultimate pinnae during the day formed together an angle of 180o, that is, they stood in a straight line opposite one another, and at night each had moved 65o forwards. The basal pair of pinnae were directed Fig. 160. Acacia Farnesiana: A, leaf during the day; B, the same leaf at night.

 

during the day, each about 21o backwards, and at night 38o forwards, so each had moved 59o forwards. But the pinnae at the