MOTIONS IN PLANTS. 
271 
There are few flowers that in passing from the slate of a Mechanical 
r?ery young bud to a seed-vessel, do not change their position 
five or six times. Thus, in the geranium, when the bud first 
iiirisesout of the stalk, it is neces^av^ly upiight •, but before 
i;he flower stalk has increased two inches, the flower has 
•. varied 180 degrees, and is become perpendicular downwards. 
'.Then it begins again to rise, and is a full grown bud at QO 
lidegrees, and perfectly displays its corolla at l6o degrees. After 
remaining a little time in this situation, or between this and 
1180 degrees, it changes and declines ; and, before the pericar- 
jpium has perfected its seed, it again falls to the earth* ; and 
'SO necessary are each of these variations to the completion and 
Ihealth of the whole, that if it is impeded in turtiing, it dwin- 
Jdles away, and the seed vessel drops off. I have frequently 
ffastened it so as to ptevent its change of direction, but decay 
was the invariable consequence of this unnatural opposition. 
'Most of the diadelphian flowers vary in the same manner, some 
rgenera in an exactly contrary position, many of the pentandria 
very much, and almost all the syngenesiau scarcely at all. Some 
flowers change only three times : thus the variety is prodigiousj 
but if they alter not in stem, the motion of their corollas is 
Ithe triumph of mechanism, and of the power of the spiral 
’wire. To watch the variation of a flower, and compare it McHian^m of 
with the barometer and thermometer, is really an experimeiit 
* Tliis should serve as a direction to all drawers of (lowers to imitate 
nature in the situation ofthe plant and its posture, as well a« its folds, Ac. 
&e.; since, to plneea dower inarccliningmanner that should heotherwise, 
and to paint a leaf hanging tlown that should be up, is to deform nature. 
How often have I seen a single lampanula made to face the heavens, 
and a lathuras to hang down. A deeandria prostrata (as it turns in 
its perpemlieular position downwards) lets its leaves fall with it, and 
its flowers obey the same impulse, exactly contrary to what it should 
appear. How exquisitely just are the last volumes of Dr. Sims’if beau- 
tiful work (the Botanical Magazine) in this respect ! He strictly con- 
forms to the laws of nature ; and, till they arc well known, it is easy 
never to place a flower but as it is seen to hang ; and thus banish all 
confusion and deformity till the posture of all plants arc as well known 
as their beauties. 
well 
