RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1863.08.02-1864.04.10 Gloriosa plantii? CUL-DAR157.1.108. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2023. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here.
The volumes CUL-DAR157.1-2 contain notes, abstracts etc. for Darwin's long paper and later book Climbing plants (1865). It was also commercially available as a softbound offprint, F834, F834a. See R. B. Freeman's bibliographical introduction. Items CUL-DAR157.1.11-60 were in a folder marked "Twiners". Items CUL-DAR157.1.61-112 were in a folder marked "Leaf-climbers" and items CUL-DAR157.1.114-147 were in a folder marked "Tendrils". Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin.
Gloriosa Plantii? Aug 2d. 1863
Plant sent packed from Key — tip of leaf or midrib produced into an acuminate point, which when not touched curls inwards. It caught on joining in basket at each other leaves & fibres of cocoa-nut hardly thicker than human hair.— Aug. 21. I have examined 2 leaves which had caught each other: one had tendril itself locked into each other; the other pair had caught each other by soft part of leaf an inch from apex— showing that not apex alone is sensitive.— Apex seem always to curl naturally int a button-like helix— which acts like hook— This part of leaf or tendril thickened vertically — ie thicker than leaf— I doubt whether leaf, or at least shoot moves. — say spec. not in good state for observation.— /over
Aug. 24' I kept sticks to under surface of leaves for several days in my study but could never perceive any movement.—
Plant weakly or sick.—
April 10 Hooks not very sensitive for 10 inches of string (1.64 gr) hung on several hooks produced no effect — But fibres of cocoa nut, if removed will act.—
Old Plant not sensitive at tip
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 19 July, 2023