(A

Cissus discolor.

The tendrils when cork-screw have a kink in middle like Cucurbitaceæ)

June 30th 7º. 25 P.m. at 10º (ie 2º. 35') had moved 180º. — moved with hands of watch & I believe so continued all night.— (N.B stem twists round stick in reversed direction) I saw tendril rise much more perpendicular in one part of course

July 1'. At 7º 40' set mark fresh (semicircle in 2º. 10')

12. 25' completed circle (ie in 4º. 45')

(semicircle in 2. 25)

5º. 15' second circle complete (ie in 4º 50')

9º 50' 10º 0 third circle complete (ie 4. 45

[in margin:] (All with watch)

The two drawings at back were taken at exactly opposite points & are lateral views: they show that depending leading shoot does not alter position, & the tendril itself is not spirally twisted. The movement

[Av]

[annotated sketches]

July 15th Put crumpled bits of paper for each branch to seize & it was curious what complicated convolutions each made.─

(B

is like taking leading shoot of any plant & pulling it from centre, making it gyrate without twisting, when any one leaf will always point in same direction. I suspect the tendril but little inclined it sweeps circle of only 4.8 inches in diameter, & probably runs up straight stem. the 2 sub-branches of tendril is not twist

July 2d Tendril was at mark at 9º. 5' (if the two circles had been completed at same rate as in day) it could have been there 1º 30' earlier)

Performed first circle (with watch) in 4º. 30'

second circle in 5º.

third circle (I went to bed) in (Red)

The tendrils are certainly slightly sensitive.

July 3d. This morning the Tendril became stationary; so it has moved at least from midday of June 30, July 1, July 2d, till late at night

3 or 4

[Bv]

July 6' New tendril moved with watch & stopped in evening — not sensitive —

― 7th goes on turning — but not sensitive.

July 8th During these 2 days I have occasionally pinched tendrils with finger & thumb & no effect — it occurred to me that opposed excitement. Accordingly I rubbed both branches externally & they greatly diverged. [sketch]

When they had come together. I first touched the one & then the other internally & they converged each in about 10' [sketch]

July 9th: the two branches separately touched one exteriorly & the other interiorly, took shape at [sketch] C; movement perceptible in 5'.

Looking at 2 branches in a line touched them, separately, after interval laterally; one on one side, one on other side & they bent laterally, at right angles to plane joining the two branches. They straighten slowly taking an hour or more. It is clear both branches are

(C

(Cissus)

separately & independently sensitive all round & bend towards whatever point touched.

I then rubbed long peduncle separately on both sides towards base; & on both sides in uppermost part; no movement ensued; not sensitive.

I afterwards tested tips branches & was found f movement just sensible in 4'.—

The peduncle of tendril, after branches have caught contract by spirally winding & so pulls up branch, or itself winds round twig. — so sensitive in some way.—

July 10' Exposed sensitive tendril for 6' in open bottle to S. Æther was sensitive afterwards— perhaps tendril cannot absorb. —

Two days ago I put crumpled bit of paper

[Cv]

Spont contraction

(D

(Cissus)

into 2 branches of tendril, which are seized in most complicated convolutions, & saw peduncle at that end spirally wound up, but not at other end; & not so in much older tendril which had caught nothing —

July 18' Cissus now projects a great distance beyond stick, horizontally, & the terminal tendril moves from side to side but shoot remains nearly stationary.— whether small movement due to shoot or weight of Tendril I know not.

Twice I b rubbed tendril with pencil, with just force to move it a little; this force extremely little; for tendril was attached to long flexible shoot & itself very flexible.— 6 inches long of Black common Cotton hung on tendril caused decided movement — one inch did not.

E)

6 inches again plainly acted, put on very gently & cotton thread so very soft — it acted very slowly, but effectually causing great flexure—

Three inches & one inch of thread did not act, or only very obscurely.—

A third time the thread acted but only slightly & slowly for it took 40' to bend the tendril. —

This bit of thread, (weighing 90 inches) 6 inch long weighed 14/100 of a grain = 1/7' of a grain

7 28 / 5

(Cissus.)