Hop, with the revolving end always turning upwards. If the support be not lofty, it falls to the ground, and, resting there, the extremity rises again. Sometimes several shoots, when flexible, twine together into a cable, and thus support each other. Single thin depending shoots, such as those of the Sollya Drummondii, will turn abruptly back and wind upwards on themselves. The greater number of the depending shoots, however, of one twining plant, the Hibbertia dentata, showed but little tendency to turn upwards. In other cases, as with the Cryptostegia grandiflora, several internodes which at first were flexible and revolved, if they did not succeed in twining round a support, became quite rigid, and, supporting themselves upright, carried on their summit the younger revolving internodes.
Here will be a convenient place to give a Table showing the direction and rate of movement of several twining plants, with a few appended remarks. These plants are arranged according to Lindley's 'Vegetable Kingdom' of 1853; and they have been selected from all parts of the series to show that all kinds behave in a nearly uniform manner[1].
Twining plants not aided by tendrils or by irritable leaf-stalks.
(Acotyledons.)
Lygodium scandens (Polypodiaceæ) moves against the sun.
| h. | m. | h. | m. | ||||||
| June 18, | 1st circle | 6 | 0 | June 19, | 4th circle | 5 | 0 | (very hot day). | |
| June„ 18, | 2nd circle„ | 6 | 15 | (late in evening). | June„ 20, | 5th circle„ | 6 | 0 | |
| June„ 19, | 3rd circle„ | 5 | 32 | (very hot day). |
Lygodium articulatum moves against the sun.
| h. | m. | h. | m. | ||||||
| July 19, | 1st circle | 16 | 30 | (shoot very young). | July 21, | 3rd circle | 8 | 0 | |
| July„ 20, | 2nd circle„ | 15 | 0 | July„ 22, | 4th circle„ | 10 | 30 |
(Monocotyledons.)
Ruscus androgynus (Liliaceæ), placed in the hot-house, moves against the sun.
| h. | m. | h. | m. | ||||||
| May 24, | 1st circle | 6 | 14 | (shoot very young). | May 26, | 5th circle | 2 | 50 | |
| May„ 25, | 2nd circle„ | 2 | 21 | May„ 27, | 6th circle„ | 3 | 52 | ||
| May„ 25, | 3rd circle„ | 3 | 37 | May„ 27, | 7th circle„ | 4 | 11 | ||
| May„ 25, | 4th circle„ | 3 | 22 |
- ↑ I am much indebted to Dr. Hooker for having sent me many plants from Kew; and to Mr. Veitch, of the Royal Exotic Nursery, for having generously given me a large collection of fine specimens of climbing plants. Professor Asa Gray, Prof. Oliver, and Dr. Hooker have afforded me, as on many previous occasions, much information and many valuable references.
