[105]

July 1878

Porliera hygrometrica (Sapindaceæ)

(Circumnutation & Sleep of leaf.)

A fine large vigorous bush 3-4 4-5 ft high.— A leaf, on an upright twig, 3/4 of inch in length — with [sketch] filament fixed fixed longitudinally to midrib traced on vertical glass under skylight

Apex of leaf 7 1/2 inches from glass. Temp. on 7th 19 1/2 to 20 1/2 C. on 8th 19º 1/2. — Stem secured to stick at base of leaf.—

See tracing: on 2d night filament in rising during night got caught under adjoining leaf so position on morning of 9th cd not be given.— See tracing — falls in evening & rises during very early morning to former position. On first day between 1º & 4º stood almost still circumnutating slightly about same point— on 2d day after falling till betw 1º & 5º then rose till 4º & then the nocturnal fall began — so clearly has one circumnutation in early afternoon.—

I cannot make out whether whole leaf or leaflet sink.

[106]

Porliera Hygrometrica

July 5th

Fine bush 5? ft high covered with leaves arrived from Kew soil moderately damp — watered slightly on morning of July 6th Hot & dry weather & now watered again slightly — not watered again or syringed— On July 27 & 28 leaves drooped, but [illeg] leaflets were not asleep. On 29th when shaken a good some leaves fell off— Plant looked dying, at night was unable to sleep.

(dry rigidity) so watered & syringed it moderately: on morning of 30th looked as fresh as ever. — (I suspect agitation & drought necessary to make leaves sleep?) & on night of 30th leaflets went to sleep as well as ever.

A twig cut off withered very slowly in my study. A branch in connection with bush enclosed on July 16th in bottle with quick lime seemed fresher (29th) than other twigs!!

29  16 / 6

July 31' shook branch for 2', greatly whipping against my hand I believe leaves become depressed, but leaflets did not close in the least

Aug 2d exposed during day high— N. wind from 12º 15' to 3º P.m leaflets did not go to sleep— — nor did shaking branch for 2' yesterday.—

Aug 6' soil now looks very dry— exposed plants from 7º 30' a.m to 4º. 30' P.m out-of doors light wind but damp air — leaflets did not go to sleep.

I ought to allude to as another one of Sleep of Plants

Failure — Consult describer of species— why called Hygrometrica. — Habitat

Specimen & Habitat of Wurzburg species

(Sleep of Plants)

[107]

From Kew

Porliera hygrometrica (Sapindaceæ)

July 6 1878— Leaves pinnated like Mimosa— on upright leaves Branches each sinks at night so as to hang down, almost vertically & parallel to stem — on Horizontal branches no such depression occurs—. The leaflet move forward, so that their midribs become parallel to main petiole (just as with some Leguminosæ) & thus the leaflets overlap each other; but then upper surface on opposite sides of petioles do not come into quite close contacts, owing to intervening main petiole; but upper surfaces are in contact with lower surface of next leaflets forward— about 1/2 of lower surface [sketch] of each leaflet exposed to air—

Leaflet no trace of bloom, wetted with remarkable ease on both surfaces.—

[108]

Porliera hygrometrica:— filament fixed to longitudinally [2 words illeg] of the main petiole of leaf; movements traced under a skylight on a vertical glass, from 9. 35 a.m during 36 40 hours, under skylight. July [illeg] 7th to middle of night of the 8th, when the filament caught on adjoining branch. — Apex of leaf 7 1/2 inches from vertical glass.) Temp. 19 1/2 - 20 1/2º C

[108v]

244

Ch VI Concluding Remarks

= siderable length, before the grains have touched the stigma; but botanists believe that they afterwards draw nourishment from the conducting tissue of the pistil. It is hardly possible to doubt this must

[The text of the draft corresponds to Forms of flowers, p. 251.]