[37]

Maranta arundinacea 1877

Sleep M.

Nov. 23d Observed plant within case in Hot-House two two leaves rose from 8°. 45' to 11° & then sun shone out & the leaves rose to light tremendously & very quickly: experiment spoiled.. Was put into dark closet about noon.— very [illeg]

Nov. 24th put the plant which had been put yesterday in dark cupboard in Hot. H. with vertical glass in front of young leaf which had sprouted from towards base of plant, & 8 inches from its tip— fixed glass filament along midrib of tip with mark behind [sketch]

[in margin:] More movements

Traced on glass, from 8° 40' to 10° 30 rose. At 11°. 18 had fallen a good deal & continued to fall greatly till 1.37. But at 2. 55' had risen somewhat & at 4° 5' still a little more. for Probably rose all night, for next morning at 7° 15 a.m was as high as it was on previous morning at 9°. 25'; when it was still rising.—

(Another young leaf at right angles to glass with mark oblique behind was also observed. It likewise rose until 10° 30' a.m & I believe till 11° 18 a.m but by 12°. 25 had fallen, & afterwards went travelled laterally & irregularly.—

[38]

[in margin:] This is like Climbing Plants

Maranta petiole an angle of about 9° or more generally about 91 100° — when asleep the midrib of some was parallel (being separated by oblique joint) to the petiole & in other leaves the midrib formed angle of at 123°, so had not risen much.

The plant was brought down on warm & very stormy evening to my study so leaves were much blown about & not one leaf went to sleep, & on the following evening it did not go to sleep in Hot-house: I think due to the great shaking which they had had. But on the next succeeding night all the younger leaves had mid-rib parallel to petiole, so had gone well to sleep, on following morning Sept 16th I measured the angles of the leaves awake & found them between 100° & 110°, so had risen be raised between 80° & 70°.—