14 MH. DARWIN ON CLIMBING PLANTS, 



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, 

 tuine together into a cable, and thus support each other. Single 

 thin depending shoots, such as those of the Sollya DrK/mmondii^ 

 will turn abruptly back and wind upwards on themselves. The 

 greater number of the depending shoots, however, of one twining 

 plant, the Ilihbertia dentata^ showed but little tendency to turn 

 upwards. In other cases, as with the Cryptostegia grandifloray 

 several interuodes 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*. 



Twining plants not aided hy tendrils or hy irritable leaf-stales, 



(ACOTTLEUONS.) 



Lygodium scandens (Polypodiaceee) moves against the sun. 



11, in. 



h. m. 



June 19, 4th circle 5 (very hot day) 

 „ 20,5th „ 6 





June 18, 1st circle 6 [i"g)- 



„ 18, 2nd „ 6 15 (late in eyeu- 

 „ 19, 3rd „ 5 32 (very hot day). 



Lygodium artictdatmn moves against the sun. 



July 19, 1st circle 16 30 (shoot very J July 2l, 3rd circle 8 6 



„ 20, 2ud „ 15 [young). | „ 22,4th „ , 10 30 



(MONOCOTTLEDOKS.) 



Riiscus andvogynus (Liliacese), placed in the hot-house, moves against the sun 



May 24, 1st circle G 14 (shoot very 1 May 26, 5th circle 2 50 



„ 25,2nd „ 2 21 [young). „ 27,6th „ 3 52 



„ 25,3rd ,,3 37 | „ 27,7th „ 4 11 



„ 25, 4th „ 3 22 



* I am much indebted to Dr. Hooker for having sent me many plants from 

 Kew ; and to Mr. Yeiteh, of the Eoyal Exotic Nursery, for having generously 

 given me a large collection of fuie specimens of climbing plants. Professor Asa 



occasions, much information 



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