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Nature Notes: 
THE SELBORNE SOCIETrS MAGAZINE. 
No. 218. FEBRUARY, 1908. Vol. XIX. 
AUTOMATIC AND INDUCED MOVEMENTS IN 
THE ORGANS AND PARTS OF PLANTS. 
[Continued from p. 10.) 
Part II. Induced Motion. 
UT perhaps, as it can be observed by the unaided eye, 
motion caused by touch or irritation of some kind, as 
in the Sensitive-plant, has the greater interest for the 
casual observer. Ever since the sensitive Mimosa was 
introduced to our gardens from Brazil in 1648, the plant has been 
cultivated, more from its singular and almost unique motion 
than from any intrinsic beauty, though its light pinnate foliage 
and its pink bottle-brush-like inflorescence are elegant. M. sensi- 
tiva, or pudica, for it is known under both names, takes its generic 
name from a Greek word signifying a buffoon or clown, because 
the leaves seem to play with the hand that touches them. 
M. pudica, however, as its name signifies, is a humble plant 
of quite low, almost repent habit, -whexeas, sensitiva under ordinary 
culture grows to 20 inches high, while another, M. glauca Spe- 
gazzinnianap is stated to grow under favonrable conditions ter 
7 feet in one year, this bearing globe-shaped masses of apetalous 
staminate flowers, followed by close clusters of rough, dark 
purple, curved pods, bearing many seeds. The foliage is bipin- 
nate, and the whole plant is armed with sharp spines, those on 
the ripe wood being formidable curved thorns, while those on 
the foliage are acicular, and proceed from the midrib of the 
leaves, between the pairs of pinnae. The leaves of this are 
sensitive, but not so easily excited as those of M . sensitiva. 
Many explanations have been offered to account for the 
phenomena; but, if we accept the theory that the continuous 
protoplasm of plants is in reality their nerves, the explanation 
[Now referred to the genus Leuozna. — Eu. N.N.\ 
