78 LEAF-CLIMBERS. Chap. II. 



LiLiACEiE. Gloriosa PlantiL The stem of a half- 

 growri plant continually moved, generally describ- 

 ing an irregular spire, but sometimes oval figures 

 with the longer axes directed in different lines. It 

 either followed the sun, or moved in an opposite 

 course, and sometimes stood still before reversing its 

 direction. One oval was completed in 3 hrs. 40 m. ; of 

 two horseshoe-shaped figures, one was completed in 

 4 hrs. 35 m. and the other in 3 hrs. The shoots, in their 

 movements, reached points between four and five 

 inches asunder. The young leaves, when first de- 

 veloped, stand up nearly vertically ; but by the 

 growth of the axis, and by the spontaneous bending 

 down of the terminal half of the leaf, they soon 

 become much inclined, aud ultimately horizontal. 

 The end of the leaf forms a narrow, ribbon-like, 

 thickened projection, which at first is nearly straight, 

 but by the time the leaf gets into an inclined position, 

 the end bends downwards into a well-formed hook. 

 This hook is now strong and rigid enough to catch 

 any object, and, when caught, to anchor the plant and 

 stop the revolving movement. Its inner surface is 

 sensitive, but not in nearly so high a degree as that 

 of the many before-described petioles ; for a loop of 

 string, weighing 1*64 grain, produced no effect. 

 When the hook has caught a thin twig or even a 

 rigid fibre, the point may be perceived in from 1 hr. to 

 3 hrs. to have curled a little inwards ; and, under 

 favourable circumstances, it curls round and perma- 

 nently seizes an object in from 8 hrs. to 10 hrs 



