RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1879.06.21-07.04. Cucurbita ovifera. CUL-DAR209.11.121-124. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 7.2023. RN1

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 volume CUL-DAR209.11 contains material for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).


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June 21' 1879. 9° 10' a.m. Cucurbita ovifera— — Radicles long one extended horizontally over water.— dots 9 mm from apex. — tips of 5 well cauterised to see whether Geotropism destroyed

(1) caustic 4° 50 7° 40' 12 1/2 mm quite horizontal (22d 8° a m — still horizontal 24 mm!)

(2) caustic 4° 50' 12 1/2 mm quite horizontal inclined upwards but straight— owing to bending of Hypocotyl 22' 8° a.m. These 3 in same state as yesterday & like those without caustic}

(3) caustic 4° 50 as much geotropic as any are below. ie inclined, but straight do

(4) caustic 4° 50' like (3) do.—

This page of no use Radicles too long & old

(5) caustic 4° 50' quite horizontal 11 mm (22d 8°. a.m. still quite horizontal 16 mm)

(6) 0) 4° 50 slightly inclined downward owing to moving of Hypocotyl — This seedling with long radicles very little geotropic

(7) 0 4° 50 straight & only all inclined — owing to movement of Hypocotyl

(21st 4° 50 P.m It is no use tracing with very long radicles, as the apices are very little geotropic, whilst the hypocotyl just emerging from seed is & turn downwards to cause doubling of Hypocotyl.— The cotyledon being fixed the whole radicle is curved downwards — This important for I have not detected this before—In this case viz (1) & (5) radicle had remained horizontal & yet had gone considerably towards apex — This offers a shade of very important evidence

(8) 0 like (7)

(9) (0) like (7)

(10) (0) like (7) (22d 8am The 5 without caustic are now all geotropic. but this is owing to bending of hypocotyl.

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June 24th 4° 50 P.m. 1879 Jar D Cucurbita ovifera— Radicles only .2 to .3 of inch in length quite straight (seeds germinated on end in Peat) extended horizontally over water— Tips rubbed with caustic of half specimens

For Geotropism

(1) caustic 10° 5 P.m aft 5°. 15' Hardly geotropic, but turned rather laterally .38 long:

(2) caustic 10. 5' P.m —strong geotropic: oddly black tip in this & (3) larger than in others!!

(3) caustic 10. 5' P.m strongly geotropic

(4) caustic 10. 5' P.m quite Horizontal .31 long

(5) caustic 10 5 P.m quite Horizontal .44 long

(6) Control 10° 5' almost Horizontal .35 long

(7) (1) 10° 5. P.m.— all following 6 radicles rectangularly geotropic.

(8) (1)

(9) (0) 7 Controls

10 (0)

(11) (0)

12 (0)

June 25th 7° 45' a.m. All 6 with caustic are now geotropic, but none vertically so— movements from 25° to 35° from the vertical & 2 still move from vertical even 50°— Whereas the 6 Controls are mostly vertical & present a strong contrast with other six

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Jun 25th 1879 8° 25' a.m Cucurbita extended horizontally over water with tips caustic for Geotropism— radicles from 3 or .4 in length to 1/4 of inch & a few even infer, not measured. —

(1) caustic

(2) C.

(3) C.

(4) C.

(5) C.

(6) C.

(7) C.

(8) C.

(9) C

8 Control specimens.

12° 35' aft 4° 10' all the 8 controls with slight geotropic curvature — The 9 with caustic quite straight.

4° 50 5° P.m. after 8° 35' The caustic ones in same state— Black tips not above 1/2 mm.

The controls are not greatly geotropic it would have been better perhaps if they had been immersed— yet certainly a considerable contrast. The radicles with caustic have grown greatly but were not measured for want of time.

26' 8° a.m. There is now no marked difference in the state of the 2 Cots. after 24 h. Result not very satisfactory— Chiefly owing to radicles not being strongly geotropic in air or water

Seem to have got power of reversing

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July 4th 1879 7° 50 a.m. Cucurbita ovifera Radicle with caustic laid Horizontally on loose peat & covered over with same, little pressed.

Geotropism & tips Cauterised on all sides —Length measured from end of radicle to end of seed-coats: Kept on Chimney piece. Temp. 75°-76° F

(N.B (1) to (2) length of radicle to end of seed- ct coat when touched: (3) at 4° 45' P.m aft 9 h on 4th. — (4) length on the 5th at 8° 30' a.m aft 24°h 40')

(1) caustic ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 4° 45' sl tip slightly geotropic — only very minute very pale brown mark

5th 8 .30' a.m. End for 20 m.m rectangularly geotropic— grown greatly (but not measured from commencement)

(2) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀4 4° 45' not in least geotropic— turned a little upwards— Black point 1/2 mm

() 5' 8° 30. am almost horizontal enormously grown. see (4).

(3) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀4 4° 45' not in least geotropic — Black mark barely 1/2 mm

() 5th 8° 30' am a little tortuous & rather up-turned— enormously grown. (4)

(4) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀ (4) 4° 45' not in least geotropic— Pale brown mark — less than 1/2 mm

() 5th 8° 30' a.m.— Horizontal see (4) for growth

(5) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀4 4° 50' decidedly geotropic— brown mark hardly visible only on extreme apex

() 5th 8° 30' rectangularly geotropic for 30 mm.— see 4 for growth since the commencement.

(6) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀ (4) 4° 50 no trace of geotropic— Blackish mark 1/2 mm

() 5th 8° 30'— quite horizontal slightly tortuous — see (4) for growth

(7) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀4 4° 50 no trace of G

() 5' 8° 30' quite Horizontal see (4) for growth

(8) C. ⨀1 ⨀2 ⨀3 — ⨀ (4) 4° 55' very slightly geotropic.— Black mark very faint, & very small

✔5th 8° 30' geotropic rectangularly for a portion 25. mm. in length— See for growth from commencement see 4

(N.B. The radicles when old, as formerly seen, become very slightly geotropic

(15 Control specimens laid in same manner & at same time.) (over

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4th 5° P.m.— on the 4th Of the 15 control, 8 either rectangularly bent down, or at least as much as 45°. — The other 7 all slightly geotropic

(Also 6 laid in same manner horizontally within Peat with barely 1 mm. of tips cut off rectangularly (not measured) abov about the same length or shorter than other specimens). 5° P.m. not a trace of Geotropism. — quite straight)

(July 5' 8° 45' a.m. These 6 have now grown enormously in length & not in the least geotropic have all gone under the very loose peat; quite Horizontally & hardly tortuous at all. They are now between 40 & 50 mm. in length & nearly some quite as long as those touched with caustic.)

(4th 12° 50 P.m just past noon aft 5° — All the controls Control specimens 15 in number more or less geotropic some nearly rectangularly — Only 1 of the cauterised caustic specimen & none of those with apices cut off. geotropic

(July 5th 8°. 45' a.m all 15 controls now rectangularly geotropic & deeply deeply buried in earth the Peat — length of radicle from 45' to 45 58 mm very little or hardly at all longer on average, as judged by eye, than the caustic cauterised specimens.)

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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 20 August, 2023