88 Dr Schultz 07i the Development of Heat in 



of analogy, partly also because it seems to afford a solution not 

 merely concerning meteoric stones, but every species of highly 

 elevated luminous meteoric phenomena. — Berlin Memoirs, 



ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEAT IN THE FLOWERS OF THE 

 CALADIUM PINNATIFIDUM. By Dt E, H. SCHULTZ of 



Berlin. 



In the botanical garden at Berlin there is a very large plant 

 of the Caladium pinnatifidum^ which yearly during spring and 

 the first half of summer, produces from twenty to thirty and 

 more flowers. The powerful vegetation of this plant induced 

 me, in the year 1826, to make some experiments in order to as- 

 certain the temperature of one of its flowers, on the supposition 

 that here as well as in many species of the genus Arum, an eleva- 

 tion of temperature would be observed. This was confirmed 

 by an observation which shewed that while the hot-house was at 

 a temperature of 15° R. (61°.l Fahr.), I saw the thermometer 

 rise from four to five degrees when placed in connexion with the 

 flower. The observation made at that time, I took occasion to 

 insert in the 2d Volume of the work " Die Natur der lebendigen 

 Pflanze," p. 224. To the above I added only that which 

 agreed with other observations, that the part of the calyx, upon 

 which the stamina are placed, became the warmest ; that also the 

 whole of the interior of the flower became warm ; and that 

 here likewise the temperature again decreased as the flower 

 decayed. M. J. N. Link, who at a later period renewed the 

 investigation upon the same plant, could observe no elevation of 

 temperature; and subsequently Professor Goppert of Breslau 

 thought himself entitled to consider the said elevation of tem- 

 perature as doubtful. 



I had an opportunity this year, during the flowering period 

 of the Caladium pinnatifidum, of observing the above phenome- 

 non anew, and consider it of sufficient importance to be pub- 

 lished. 



The flowers of the Caladium pinnatifidum quickly decay, i. e. 

 in the space of about twelve hours; so speedily, indeed, that 

 the culminating point in the development of the flower is be- 

 tweeix eight and ten o'clock in the evening. The flowers which 



