RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [ny].12.26. Tropaeolum. CUL-DAR209.3.309. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 12.2022. 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-DAR209.3 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).


[309]

Dec. 26 Tropaeolum (Tom Thumb)

As plumule has been shown to move nutate, I observed young plant bearing long lower internode with 2 opposite leave & shorter upper internodes (together 3.2 inches high). A glass filament fixed traversed on top of upper internode & traced on Horizontal glass — See Tracing — magnified 9 6/10 times.— I believe great movement to left due to candle.— But no doubt stem circumnutates [sketch]  

The plant species of this genus are all leaf-climbers, but some of them species with having thin stems, also twiners but even these do not begin twining whilst very young. The present plant belongs to so dwarfed a variety, that apparently it did not climb in any manner. We were thence came to ascertain whether the stem of a very young plant, consisting only of 2 internodes & only together 3.2 inch in height, st circumnutated. Its movement was observed in the usual manner during 25° & as shown it is seen in the accompanying figure (Fig.) that the stem circumnutating in an irregular manner.


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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