298 THE BAOBAB TREE. 



tendrils. Even the vibration of vehicles passing along 

 the road near one of these extraordinary plants is suf- 

 ficient to cause it to close its leaves, as if alarmed at 

 the approach of a possible foe. We have often amused 

 ourselves with experiments upon the nervous system 

 of the Sensitive Plant. The "Mimosa Pudica" is a 

 pretty object everywhere in the countries where it 

 flourishes ; and on dry banks fully exposed to the sun- 

 light, spreads itself like a carpet closely over the 

 ground, which it often completely covers with its 

 tendrils. Its delicate pinnate foliage is of a very dark, 

 almost olive green colour. The leaves are very small, 

 and at certain seasons it bears numerous pretty little 

 pink balls of flowers. 



If a stick is somewhat roughly drawn across a patch 

 of it, or if it is gently beaten with a wand, whole 

 square yards of ground may be seen to suddenly change 

 colour, through the sudden closing up of the leaves 

 which shrivel up into almost invisible shapes of a brown, 

 earth-like shade (such being the colour of the under 

 part of its foliage), and the ground appears thus, as 

 it were, instantaneously bereft of herbage. The effect 

 is a most curious one to witness. Finally, we may 

 remark that this plant carries out this operation on its 

 own account the moment that the shades of evening 

 approach, and remains thus tightly closed up through- 

 out the entire night. The little sensitive plant thus 

 affords one of the best examples of "the Sleep of 

 Plants. " 



Many curious facts respecting these and other kindred 

 subjects might be added, but we must pass to the con- 

 sideration of other matters more directly connected with 

 the characteristic features of the Bush region. 



