(1

Sept 4 /73/   Mimosa pudica

Young leaves, yet fully expanded, are excessively sensitive to fine spray from engine hit right on their faces & shut all their pinnæ leaflets with extraordinary rapidity—

But the peduncles do not approach each other, as in sleep, & though the main peduncle does lower itself I tried 3 leaves today & 2 yesterday. — On looking a 1/4 of hour after they had opened again, wonderfully little water on any of the leaves; the leaflets by close closure seem to pass out water.

Some fine minute spheres of water stuck to hair on edge of leaflets & between them. In older leaves the leaflets do not close so well, but from depressed position & return of surface do not get very wet.—

(I must reexamine effects of drops of water at high temp on leaves & evaporate it.)

[1v]

Drops of water were put on leaves same leaflets for 5 6 days — but the weather was very cold, & no plain marks were left on leaves.

Sept 5 very cold day, temp. in case was

Sept. 10

I have ascertained that with young & sensitive leaves, when watered the whole peduncle sinks down, but the 4 pinnules do not approach Each other as in sleep.—

How about pinnules when touched by fingers &c?

(2

Sept 5 put on small drops on young Mimosa leaf which was proved to be very sensitive to [illeg] drops, on 2 leaves, — 9 drops small— put on at 7° 45' taken off at 5° 15' P.m.—

But day proved very cold 62° in morning & evening, in midday rising to only 68° & 69 ─

In little glass House. — Next morning all was collected by fine tube & evaporated the aggregate drop & drop of the same doubly distilled water on clean glass plate & it left a film, certainly opake & thicker than did the doubly distilled water, which is no absolutely pure: but so little was left on film, it could not be collected into a pellet.

: Next morning Sept 6th there were no marks on leaves, where the drops had stood for 9° 30'.—

Sept. 6th Kept glass-House from 8° to 5° 30' at temp beginning at 62°, at 9°. 15' 79°. at average of about 84° until 4° 15' when temp fell to 79° & at 9°. 30' was at 76°— so that from 7° was about 80‒84, rising for short time to 90°. — Four drops were placed on 4 leaflets, & next but the drops were lost at night.— Next morning I saw one very pale yellowish circle circle on a leaflet, & I thought I could distinguish 3 others; almost certainly one other.—

[2v]

Sept 9th I put drops on many leaflets of Mimosa & kept case up from about 84 to 95° from 8° to 5° P.m (ie. 9 hours) I lost all the drops by the leaflets closing at 5° P.m; but I could see no marks on the leaves this morning. I selected mostly very young leaves.— I cannot trust to spots seen before.—

4

Mimosa

Sept 11th  put a full grown leaf Sept 15 this leaf not at all injured at night into vessel of water, at 87° temp the next morning it expanded & was kept for 8° in the water at temp. varying from 80 to 96°, almost all the time at about 93° or 94°, altogether it was in water for nearly 24°. — This water, (how much 2 drachm) was evaporated & the residue as well as an equal quantity of the same water that was used; & there was a most conspicuous difference in the residue; manyfold more in that which had had the Mimosa, but it is difficult to estimate the difference.— Both vessels were washed with a little water & again evaporated, & there was a marked difference in the residue; I shd think 3 or 4 more than four times as much & of a brownish colour, & differing in appearance from the residue from the distilled water. However has weighed the matter it is 2/100 of a grain that from the water (but do not quite see this is 1/100 of a grain); so that the water from the mimosa cd have contained only 1/100 of gr; this blackened, but did not melt when heated red hot

(5

Mimosa pudica

Sept 12th. /73/

At 7° 35' put on 2 or 3 drops of pure distilled water on 2 moderately old leaves & the same on 2 quite young, but fully expanded leaves— Kept the plant at temps from 80° to 96° generally about 93°-94° for till 4° 10'. (ie. for 8° 5') — I removed some of the drops at midday — I next morning evaporated the drops (keeping them in interval under Bell-glass) having put drops of distilled water on the same slips of rather larger size.— I have carefully the marks left on the glass & showed these to Horace without telling him. There can be no doubt that some little matter is thus extruded from the leaves & rather more from the fully developed leaves than from the quite young but fully expanded leaves.— I had better state ↘

(6

that the water which I used, though doubly distilled was not quite pure— & I know not how pure water can by ordinary care be got.—

Sept 13' 12°  I can see no marks on the younger which yielded less matter leaves, but on one of the older leaves there were 2 or 3 distinct round marks, which were not there before.

(On the opposite side of the same leaf the similar marks formed several days before by drops placed on the 9th of Sept (see old previous notes) are still quite plain.) As to other older leaf, there are some circular yellow marks which I am almost sure were not there before.—)

Sept. 14th. 12°.  The yellow marks from the older leaf (i.e. put on the 9th) & on the younger leaf put on the 12th are now disappearing or becoming green again, except over the mid-rib & main nervures. (N.B The plants have been kept very hot & are growing vigorously) These yellow lines & a few minute on the lamina, when viewed under the compound by transmitted light show that the chlorophyll is has all been destroyed in the outer cells & which are then rendered much more transparent. In The parts which have become green again the chlorophyll has been regenerated.

(7

Mimosa

Sept 15  put drops on several leaves in case temp. being kept up from 7° 20' at 72° to 9° 15 at 102°, & then varying from 84° to 91°. The drops were placed on 4 pinnules on which there were no traces of yellow marks. — They were never taken off & once renewed next morning after 24° there were no yellow marks; but at 4° 15' of same day, yellow marks was plain on 4 pinnules; but i.e. on all excepting one— There can be no doubt that at high temp. distilled water marks the leaves of mimosa. —

Very young leaves were not selected; nor very old ones.

[7v]

Is this M. albida

(8

Sept 23d

M. sensitiva false sp is certainly quite as sensitive to impact of minute drops of water as M. pudica

Drops may be placed quietly on all glands & leaflets.

I put an oldish plant which had been kept cold in open air & Syringed it by throwing water above, the leaflets which did not close had a good many small spherical drops adhering, but these chiefly between the leaflets & on the under side between them: I think with long-continued fine rain would have got wetted with large irregular drops.— I tried again to ether syringing on very sensitive leaves in the hot case, & I do not think they close except when now & then a rather larger drop is flicked out

M Albida

(9

Mimosa & M. sensitiva

I put leaflets of 2 plants in tumbler of water at 60° & both surfaces after waving about were beautifully silvery, as much as any leaf I ever saw, & I almost gave up the ghost.

It occurred to I then immersed leaf momentary in sulphuric ether, & leaves were instantly wetted, by water, so I suppose protected by wax.—

I almost gave up ghost. It then occurred to me to try warmer warmer.— I dipped it in water at 95° & it was instantly wetted; & so did quickly immersion at 87°. — At 85° immersion (& always waving about close to bulb of excellent Thermometer) at wetted it in 15."— So it was at 81°.

At 78° imperfectly wetted in 45", pretty thoroughly in 60".

At 75° 1/2 to 75° temp imperfectly wetted in 45' & well wetted in 50."

At 71°. 1/4 to 71° imperfectly wetted in 50", well wetted at in 70".

At 69° upper surface moderately wetted in 90", lower surface still dry.

(over

(9A

Mimosa Wax

Oct 27th—

Old leaf, after cold night, rather torpid.

75°-74° 1/2  for 1m terminal leaflets, upper surface wetted lower surface hardly at all.—

73°―72 1/2  more basal portion of same leaf for 1m. not thoroughly wetted— I proved the leaf first in cold water, quite silvery.

70°-69° for 1m.  another portion of same leaf, upper surface of some leaflets slightly wetted & a good deal spotted with water

70°-69° for 1 1/2 m.  another portion, only slightly wetted, some leaflets more than others; lower surface very little.

N.B. as lower surface is rather more protected by wax & will stand vertically during rain; each leaflet protects to a large extent the one in advance, & as the pinnæ approach each other they initially protect each other.

The leaflets ultimately turn down, so the sun will not shine on & heat quite so much any moisture left on them. N.B. Drops laid on leaves of Mimosa, though spherical no s are not so perfectly & do not roll about like quicksilver as on Cabbage or Desmodium.)

(9B

Mimosa Wax. cont.

Oct 27'

Young leaf petiole green.

72° 71' for 1m. fairly well wetted

another portion 70 1/2 to 70' for 1 1/2 m.   only slightly wetted

69°-68 1/2° another portion for 1 & 1/2 m hardly at all wetted.

(10

After waving about several 5 leaflets, I left some floating on their lower surface on the water at 60°, which in course of day rose to 63° 1/2 & then gradually fell again to 60°

Of these 5 leaflets, one was a little wetted first after 4°, the other remained dry for 24°, though they were occasionally agitated by a pincer beneath the water.

(N.B No doubt it is chiefly the removal of the waxy secretion, but partly by increased exosmose , which causes drops of water at rather high temp. to extract matter from the leaves.)

Sept. 24th  Etherised a plant for 1° very imperfectly & then syringed & watered it, first with water at 85°. but the water which remained was collected on pot was only 77°— This produced very little effect.— Then watered it watered it with water at 95°, which collected on pot was 88°

I suppose they were watered for 5' or 6' 10' — After this there were many spherical little drops on upper surface & between the leaflets, but as these leaflets were half-closed they presented a very steep slope to the water — some very few leaflets were partially wetted. On the under side which of the leaflets ,  which is equally well protected by wax the uncovered tips of almost all the leaflets were mostly wetted & the basal leaflet in many leaves, (which is not protected) was well wetted.—

[in margin:] (We can hardly judge by this the effect of gentle rain for an hour or two. at temp. of 80°.)

(11

Mimosa pudica

Sep 26. I exposed plant to Nitric Ether for 4 hours 15 min. under large microscope shade giving about 2 drachms, taking off bell-glass about every hour, but the plant never became insensible

Sep 27. Exposed a plant for 2 hrs to Sulphuric Ether under same glass but it did not become insensible, yet was slightly torpid. I then poured water out of can with a fine rose, warmed so that the spray was all the time nearly at 84° Fahr.

After 7m I pulled off a leaf & put it in water, the lower surface was quite wetted & the silvery appearance almost gone. After 10m the same result, but the upper surface of leaflets when separated was also wetted & silvery appearance gone.

After 15m I ceased pouring: there were numerous small drops mostly spherical on the upper & lower surfaces, of leaflets

(over)

(12

But as the leaves were depressed & the stream heavier than almost any rain, most of the drops wd naturally roll off. When one of these leaves was dipped in Water the surface was certainly almost completely wetted & scarcely any silvery appearance left.   I assume as probable from my experiments that long-continued rain at lower temp. would remove all the wax & then we know the result.—

Oct 6th. Both surfaces finely silvery in water, but so thin is the [coating] of wax, that I often could not dip so quickly in S. Ether, but what all the wax was removed: when there was any difference certainly the wax is thinner on upper than lower surface, so that the latter was partially retained whilst all on the upper surface was removed.. — This thinness may account for warm water acting so soon, on difference in wax

(12A

Mimosa pudica

Oct 11th

Hung a measured tape close to end tip of leaf. — (temp only 76°) (; but as I had moved plant a little, the movements may possibly be due to change of light.)

at 11° 22' had risen 1/16' of inch

— 27' sunk 1/16 — so at same level as started

— 30' sunk 1 1/4 / 8 of an inch

— 35' sunk⎼⎼2 1/8 3/4 / 8 This is the sinking from each previous observation

— 37'  sunk⎼⎼3 1/8 2/8

5 sunk⎼⎼5 1/8 2/8 = + 1/16 = 6/8 5 1/2 / 8 from commencement

12. 20' ⎼⎼⎼ rose 2 1/2 / 8

12   50' ⎼⎼rose 1/2 / 8} = rose altog 2/8 of inch

4°. 10'— has gone on rising (or oscillating) till it now stands at original level of 2 ft 1 inch 1/8"

So that first rose a little, then sunk to former level & continued sinking from commencement 2/8 = 5 1/2 / 8 of an inch, & then rose 2/8 of an inch & apparently continued to rise for next 3 hours. — This does not look like light.

Day uniformly cloudy (Nearly 3/4 of m)

B 12

M. Pudica

Oct 13. 10°. 45'. Temp. 72°. At 11 o'clock marked the extremity of a leaf; by 11. 15 there was no movement, — & now temp was 74°. At 11°. 20' the tip had fallen 1/16 of an inch.

At 11°. 38' when temp. was 75° the tip had fallen risen 1 1/2 / 8th of an inch, (so that it appears that there was no movement when the temp. was low, but it began when temp. was from 75 to 78).

At 12° 15' (temp about 78°) (i.e. long. interval) had risen considerably, viz 5/8 of inch above when first observed at 11° 15'—   at 12° 22' it fell 1 1/2 / 8. of an inch. — at 12° 27' it had fell 1/8' of an in at 12° 50.' it stood at same level; & this is the level which it occupied at 11° 38! In the evening at 4° 15' it had risen 1.0 inch 5/8 of an inch, but this may be connected with coming on night— — These observations not fully trustworthy— (I had better remove the tape fix it to a weight below) but sho supports belief that at high temp. there is movement connected with vital activity.—

[B12v]

Oct 19th M. pudica

[annotated figure]

(12C

M. pudica

Oct 15th. The tips of 3 leaves not very carefully observed temp 89°-92 from 9° to 2° 15' — see tracing— movement but slight— (1) moved in a large curve downwards & than slightly upwards: (2) moved first a little downwards & then so considerably upwards (3) made a very small & irregular circle.— With previous observations this seems to shows that there is some movement in tips of leaves on in the axis which bears them.

Oct 19th. Completely cloudy day fine drizzle. Temp. of case 81°— Placed horizontal glass over plant & traced movement of tips of a leaflet on 2 pinnæ,— of one a pinna next to outside one; I having fixed on ground under them painted bits of paper.— One leaf pointed directly away from chief light, the other about at ∟' to same source. —both leaves a little inclined downwards—

Began observing at 9° 9'; & in 4m, both p leaflet had moved a little. From other occupations, I traced the

[12cv]

Oct 15'

[Figure]

(12D

M. pudica

movements at rather long intervals from 9° 9' to 12° 30' & both pinnæ produced very irregular lines circles.

Had I traced them every quarter of hour, the figures wd have been inextricably complex. The nearer & older leaf, as it was, completed 3 irregular & not quite complete ovals or circles & the other only 2. Then movement is quick; in one case after 2m there was a considerable movement.

There was rather more movement laterally th in one leaf than vertically up & down; in the other leaf it was the reverse. The movement of the two leaves did not correspond. "In the older leaf the amt of movement in the above interval of time was actually from right to left was .52 of an inch ie‒ above 1/2 inch, & more about a third more, up or down, or in a vertical direction. Most certainly movement as of climbing Plants.—

I observed tip of axis carefully during whole time & to 4° 15' P.m. & there was not the least movement; but then the plant was flowering at summit summit: on other hand, the upper internodes were quite young.—

[in margin:] I have given the tracing, though it is of not real use — see Back

12E

Mi. pudica

Oct 27-29' I kept 2 plants in my bed-room during night, but very cold weather, temp of room. 60°-56° during night— The leaflets closed very late, & during night main peduncles lowered themselves considerab considerably — On one night the pinnæ approached each other a little, but not so on another night — Too cold for perfect action.—

Oct 29th I have been comparing effects of impact of water & touching & I think fully as sensitive to former as to latter— But when a leaf has closed to a drop of water, whether or not in addition irritated by touching with a Bristle — & has closed from dry touch alone — this makes no difference in the act of reopening, & water is left on the surface of the leaf— this latter fact very injurious to my view. (over

(12F

M. pudica

Oct 29th I find plant just experimented is from age half-torpid— even when syringed leaves do not shut very perfectly— I am nearly sure old observations show that leaves do shut so that very few drops left on leaves, though many little drops on fringing hairs, such is my memory

Oct 28, I put on drops of water at 95° on 17 leaflets & renewed water during day & on following day (29th) again renewed water & kept the case very hot viz from 86° to 96°; but no effect was produced & now Nov. 3d — after 5‒6 days there is not the least mark. But this apparently strongly opposed fact, for I find today as I did on the 29th on other plants, that those 2 plants on which I experimented are so torpid that violent & repeated syringing does not cause leave to close.— I do not suppose there is any correlation, viz that when leave too old to be injured by water they do not close from syringing, but that both facts follow from being too old & torpid,—

[12Fv]

July 1874 Changed course about 10 times in 2°

Frank looked to movement during sleep & it was in outward zig-zag movement which I do not doubt was the nutation with gradual sleep movement continued See Tracing

See Diagram

This first reference in this packet