Manito eBooks

A drop of an infusion of raw meat was then placed on
the leaf, and within 2 h. the glass filament rose a little; and this
implies that the lobes had begun to close, and perhaps the petiole to rise.
It continued to rise with extreme slowness for the next 8 h. 30 m. The
position of the pot was then (7.15 P.M., Sept. 24th) slightly changed and
an additional drop of the infusion given, and a new tracing was begun (Fig.
107). By 10.50 P.M. the filament had risen only a little more, and it fell
during the night. On the following morning the lobes were closing more
quickly, and by 5 P.M. it was evident to the eye that they had closed
considerably; by 8.48. P.M. this was still plainer, and by 10.45 P.M. the
marginal spikes were interlocked. The leaf fell a little during the night,
and next morning (25th) at 7 A.M. the lobes were completely shut. The
course pursued, as may be seen in the figure, was
Fig. 107. Dionoea muscipula: closure of the lobes and circumnutation of a
full-grown leaf, whilst absorbing an infusion of raw meat, traced in
darkness, from 7.


Pages:
381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405