Chap X MOVEMENTS EXCITED BY GKAVITATION, 493 



CHAPTEE X. 



MijBiriED CiRCnji nutation: Movements excited by Giuvitatio-j. 



Means of observation - -Apogeotropism — Oytisus — Verbena — Beta — 

 Gradual conversion of tlie movement of circumnutation into apogeo- 

 tropitni in Eubus, Lilium, Plialaris, Avena, and Bra.-sica — Apogeo- 

 tropism retarded by heliotropism — Effected by the aid of juints 

 or pulvini — Movements of flower-peduncles of Oxalis — Geneial 

 remarks on apogeotropism — Gentropism — Movements of radicles — 

 Burying uf seed-capsules — Use of process — Trifolium subterraneum 

 — Aracbis — Ampbioarj)a?a — Di.igeotropisin — Conclusion. 



Our object in the present chapter is to show that 

 geotropism, apogeotropism, and diageotropism are mo- 

 dified forms of circumnutation. Extremely fine fila- 

 ments of glass, bearing two minute triangles of paper, 

 were fixed to the summits of young stems, frequently 

 to the hypocotyls of seedlings, to flower-peduncles, 

 radicles, &c., and the movements of the parts were 

 then traced in the manner already described on 

 vertical and horizontal glass-plates. It should be 

 remembered that as the stems or other parts become 

 more and more oblique with respect to the glasses, the 

 figures traced on them necessarily become more and 

 more magnified. The plants were protected from light, 

 excepting whilst each observation was being made, and 

 then the light, which was always a dim one, was 

 allowed to enter so as to interfere as little as possible 

 with the movement in progress ; and we did not detect 

 any evidence of such interference. 



Wlien observing the gradations between circumnu 



