SECT. II. IRRITABILITY. 



461 



ground, gradually recovering their original situation, 

 and capable of being again stimulated as before.* 



The stamens of Cactus Tuna, a sort of Indian Cactus 

 Fig, are said to be endowed with a similar irritabi- 

 lity. If a quill or feather is drawn across its long 

 and slender filaments, which surround the germen 

 in great numbers, they will immediately begin to 

 bend to the one side, and will by and by sink down 

 to the bottom of the flower.^ 



The latter case, or that in which the seat of irri- ^nd Stli- 

 tability is confined to the style, is exemplified in 

 Stylidium glandulosum, a native of New Holland. 

 The style of this flower, which is about an inch in 

 length, is bent backwards a little above the base, in 

 the manner of the piece of iron that is fixed to the 

 end of a shepherd's crook, or to the end of the pole 

 of a chaise ; so that the style forms a sort of hook 

 with the flower-stalk, the stigma being reflected so 

 as in many cases to touch it. But if the stigma is 

 itself touched with the point of the finger, -n other 

 suitable instrument, the style is immediately put 

 into motion, and flies back till it bends itself as 

 much in a contrary direction, and on the other side 

 of the flower, as it did in its first direction. This 

 experiment I had an opportunity of making on a 

 plant in Kew Gardens, on the 31st of May, ]810. 



* Smith's Tracts. i Ibid. 



