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He would first endeavour to get his arched back upright, wriggling
at the same time in all directions to free himself a little from the
surrounding pressure; and this may represent the combined effects of
apogeotropism and circumnutation, when a seed is so buried that the arched
hypocotyl or epicotyl protrudes at first in a horizontal or inclined plane.
The man, still wriggling, would then raise his arched back as high as he
could; and this may represent the growth and continued circumnutation of an
arched hypocotyl or epicotyl, before it has reached the surface of the
ground. As soon as the man felt himself at all free, he would raise the
upper part of his body, whilst still on
[page 107]
his knees and still wriggling; and this may represent the bowing backwards
of the basal leg of the arch, which in most cases aids in the withdrawal of
the cotyledons from the buried and ruptured seed-coats, and the subsequent
straightening of the whole hypocotyl or epicotyl--circumnutation still
continuing.
Circumnutation of Hypocotyls and Epicotyls, when erect.


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