45 A.M. March 9th to 9 P.M. on
10th. The stem grew so rapidly whilst being observed, that it was not
possible to estimate how much its movements were magnified in the tracing.
(20.) Cyperus alternifolius (Fam. Cyperaceae.)--A glass
[page 213]
filament, with a bead at the end, was fixed across the summit of a young
stem 10 inches in height, close beneath the crown of elongated leaves. On
March 8th, between 12.20 and 7.20 P.M. the stem described an ellipse, open
at one end. On the following day a new tracing was begun (Fig. 84), which
plainly shows that the stem completed three irregular figures in the course
of 35 h. 15 m.]
Concluding Remarks on the Circumnutation of Stems.--Any one who will
inspect the diagrams now given, and will bear in mind the widely separated
position of the plants described in the series,--remembering that we have
good grounds for the belief that the hypocotyls and epicotyls of all
seedlings circumnutate,--not forgetting the number of plants distributed in
the most distinct families which climb by a similar movement,--will
probably admit that the growing stems of all plants, if carefully observed,
would be found to circumnutate to a greater or less extent.
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