204: 



CIKCUMXUTATION OF STEMS. 



CHAP. IV. 



aid of their sensitive petioles, but some of them also twine 

 round supports ; but even these latter species do not begin to 

 circumnutate in a conspicuous manner whilst young. The 



Fig. 72. 



TropcBolum majus(?): circumnutation of stem of young plant, traced on a 

 horizontal glass from 9 A.M. Dec. 26th to 10 A.M. on 27th. Movement 

 of bead magnified about 5 times, and here reduced to half of original 

 scale. 



variety here treated of has a rather thick stem, and is so dwarf 

 that apparently it does not climb in any manner. We there- 

 fore wished to ascertain whether the stem of a young plant, 



consisting of two in- 

 ternodes, together 3 -2 

 inches in height, cir- 

 cumnutated. It was 

 observed during 25 h., 

 and we see in Fig. 72 

 that the stem moved in 

 a zigzag course, indicat- 

 ing circumnutation. 



(6.) Trifolium resupi- 

 natum (Leguminosae, 

 Fam. 75). \Vhen we 

 treat of the sleep of 

 plants, we shall see that 

 the stems in several 

 Leguminous genera, for 

 instance, those of Hedy- 

 sarum, Mimosa, Meli- 

 lotus, &c., which are not 

 climbers, circumnutate 

 in aconspicuousmanner. 

 We will here give only a single instance (Fig. 73), showing 

 the circumnutation of the stem of a large plant of a clover, 

 Trifolium resupinatum. In the course of 7 h. the stem changed 



Trifolium res'tpinatum : circumnutation of 

 stem, traced on vertical glass from 9.30 

 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. Nov. 3rd. Tracing not 

 greatly magnified, reduced to half of 

 original size. Plant feebly illuminated 

 from above. 



