78 LEAF-CLIMBERS. Cuar. IL. 
Lit1acea£.— Gloriosa Plantii—The stem of a half- 
grown plant continually moved, generally describ- 
ing an irregular spire, but sometimes oval figures 
with the longer axes directed in different lines. It 
either followed the’sun, or moved in an opposite 
course, and sometimes stood still before reversing its 
direction. One oval was completed in 3 hrs. 40m.; of 
two horseshoe-shaped figures, one was completed in 
4hrs. 35m. and the other in 3hrs. The shoots, in their 
movements, reached points between four and five 
inches asunder. The young leaves, when first de- 
veloped, stand up nearly vertically; but by the 
growth of the axis, and by the spontaneous bending 
down of the. terminal half of the leaf, they soon 
become much inclined, aud ultimately horizontal. 
The end of the leaf forms a narrow, ribbon-like, 
thickened projection, which at first is nearly straight, 
but by the time the leaf gets into an inclined position, 
the end bends downwards into a well-formed hook. 
This hook is now strong and rigid enough to catch 
any object, and, when caught, to anchor the plant and 
stop the revolving movement. Its inner surface is 
sensitive, but not in nearly so high a degree as that 
of the many before-described petioles; for a loop of 
string, weighing 1:64 grain, produced no effect. 
When the hook has caught a thin twig or even a 
rigid fibre, the point may be perceived in from 1 hr. to 
3hrs. to have curled a little inwards; and, under 
favourable circumstances, it curls round and perma- 
nently seizes an object in from 8 hrs. to 10 hrs. 
