RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Henrietta Darwin. 1864.02.20-03.27. Gloriosa plantii. CUL-DAR157.1.106-107. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2023. RN2

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin.

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".


[106a]

Feb 20 1864 Gloriosa Plantii

When 6 in. high the 4 lower leaves are not much produced at their tips & are not sensitive. This axis I believe does not move.) When grown higher the axis continually revolves forming a very irregular spire; the curves being either circular or oval with the longer diameter in different directions. Thus sweeps a space of 4 or 5 inches in diameter carrying the leaves wh. are now much produced at their tips & sensitive.

The plant moves with the sun or against it as often apparently in one direction as in the other. Sometimes stands still for a considerable time before reversion.

[106av]

In 18º an open hook curled round stick & formed rather more than a complete circle in this period— So with another hooked leaf, a good bit more than a circle round stick in 21º.

Axis revolved in 3º 40 — then another half circle & stopped.

In a reversed direction a sort of Horse-shoe, wide open at heel (ie before movement changed) in 4º 35' — Another horse-shoe, narrow at heel in 3º — so movements — Have become very irregular.—

[106b]

Upper leaves far narrower than the lower— The produced point, at first straight, is thicker & more rigid than the other & lower part of leaf— very soon forms a hook— which so remains for some time — ultimately curls into spiral knot which is not sensitive — The rigid hook catches objects & is rigid enough to enclose the shoot & stop revolving movement.— & is slightly sensitive, so that in had curled in, & in

The curled part become thicker & more fleshy after curling round several time the stick??

Leaf at first inclined upwards, by growth becomes horizontal: in first stage only slightly sensitive; in last stage evidently most fitted to catch.

An old leaf with tips more than hooked closed round leaf stick in between 1º & 1º 30'

[106bv]

A young hook barely acted on in 2º 30'

Another young hook 18º old, moved, into ¤ but did not closely clasp stick in 5º 30'

Even in 24º not very tight— —

The hooked tip somehow slips a little onwards in clasping, mem. the shoot moves & slackens its hold. —

A stick put under produced portion of leaf, but not within hook, caused no bending of leaf; but hook very slowly & slightly closed in by sympathy. —

Young leaf in upper alternated portion bends downwards as well as by growth become more horizontal

When hook closed, sensibility — ¤ within & without has ceased

107

(3

Gloriosa Plantii

Mar 18 A hook about or ten days a full week old, point touched the wood in 3º & almost completely com clasped the stick in 8º from commencement.) —

Mar 10 A young hook A The leaf which was touched on its lower side, & its hook partly in consequence closed in when a twig was put in subsequently, the point was clasped moved in so as to touch wood 1º 5. & firmly fixed in 4º. 45'

(Mar 9. Young hook touched the wood in 7º 20' & completed circle at 8º in 8º 12º. —) March 27th

The hook remained open 33 days, but for last week was contracted, could have caught only small twig


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 13 January, 2026