RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. [1873].06.18-07.07. [Drosera, experiments with meat continued; some specimens thrown away. CUL-DAR55.88-100. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 1.2023. 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 volumes CUL-DAR 54-61 contain material for Darwin's book Insectivorous plants (1875).


(11

Plate with red Sheath Red Sticks.

Jun 18 10˚40 to 10˚55'.

6 with Bits of meat. & 4 with blue-glass on one side to observe secretion & directive impulse.

(4˚ 45', I think with meat some directive impulse & perhaps increased secretion)

19th 8˚ 10' in 3 cases of meat distinct directive impulse in short tentacles of disc. — I think increased secretion; but cannot feel certain of latter.

(Blue glass no effect.)

Jun 20th no doubt about directive impulse, but deviation only slight (I cannot feel sure about secretion)

Jun 22d no doubt whatever about directive impulse. — I have seen one shorter tentacle drawn about 45° out of normal course — & a some rather longer ones ie 5th row from inner fence, about 20° from the radius in a horizontal plane. I have never seen the X long marginal & sub-marginal much deflected from the centre

In one of these cases bit of meat was put on opposite side, where are dots, & there was inflection on each side round the dots & no where else. [sketch] (over)

[11v]

I clearly perceive that the tentacles push bits of meat by their movement to the centre, so my experiments are difficult to try.─

(13

White stick with black ring Jun 19th. 11˚ 30'

Cut off all gland on one side of disc, & hereafter I will place meat on outer of the standing tentacles & see what effect is produced. Jun 21. 8˚ 10' put on bit of meat on 2 glands sub marginal 5th 5  row from outside (:mem they go alternate both these are now on centre but no others have been inflected. (22d 8˚ 45. these 2 tentacles have now returned almost to original position: & I hope pushed bit of meat on 2 or 3 central glands, & moistened it Back (a)

Jun 21st 11˚ prepared five other leaves by cutting off many glands— sticks with rings.

Jun 23d. 9˚ 25' (stick with one 2 rings) put on atom on single gland on disc. — where dot is. [sketch]

(24th 8˚ 30'. — see drawing for number of tents which are inflected, but the atom had been pushed so that it just touched a second gland which had become darkened.

(25th 8˚ 30'— 8 or 9 tentacles, 10 where I have put pencil crosses are now inflected.) (Jun 26' 8˚ 30 beginng to straighten again where I have put pencil cross.) F, Directive impulse proving that not travelled by spiral vessels

[13v]

a) 23 9˚ 15' stick with one ring — several tentacles are now inflected over the atom of meat— these are all on the same side of leaf; some close to pedicel — including those on disc they form a circle round the atom & show in the plainest manner directive impulse. The atom was there placed & this is exact representation of the direction of the tentacles. — moistened atom with saliva which flowed as far as medial line of leaf but not beyond it (24th 8˚ 30' same state) [sketch]

(25 8˚. 30 tentacles over meat reexpanded)

(13A

Jun 23d. 10˚43' put on atom on tent of 5th circum row (Stick with 3 rings) (24th 8˚ 30 the viscid matter appeared to have flowed from the 1 atom & 1 tentacle & several 5 or 6 glands in middle ü moistened; but as yet only one tentacle of same row on each side of the one with meat had become inflected.)

(25th 8˚ 35' in same state, but I am not at all sure that the viscid matter in the middle had any meat.) Jun 26 8˚ 30' all ten straight again) F

23' Stick with 4 rings. — p 10˚48' put atom on 2 glands, on outer side of disc. 6 or 7 row from circumference — This had caused 5 tentacles to bend & few other partially to bend, but then meat had been pushed on to one or two of the central glands.) F (?)

23' stick no' 6. — 10˚ 50' — atom on 2 glands on disc as represented. (24th 8˚ 40' 3 submarginals inflected & those on the disc which ar nearly likewise directed to it

[25th 8˚. 40' — One additional tentacle has touched meat; those on the disc hardly show any traces of direction.) [sketch]

Specimen lost) F

(13B

Jun 23d 11˚— 11˚15 cleaned glands on stick with 5 rings Back & no' 7, 8, 9, & 10.

No. No 7. 24th 8˚ 45' put on meat, but it touched one of outer, as well as the central ones. (25th 8˚ 40'. at least 12 sub marg tent at distal end inflected. & a few on disc at opposite pole & little inflected. [sketch]

(26th same state thrown away, those near pedicel reexpanded) F

No 8— 8˚ 50 put atom on centre one alone.

Jun 25. 8˚ 50'— no less than 9 sub discal tent at A inflected, & 3 or 4 on disk near pedicel in slightly inflected. [sketch] F

(26th 8˚ 55' same state) 27' 9˚ re almost reexpanded)

The tent. which became inflected were on the disk, but near marginal & longer than the central one of disk

No. 9 8˚ 50' put atom on central one alone.

(25' 9˚ caused a little inflection at both ends of discal tentacles— Put on atom of saliva & this flowed to 2 other sub-central glands.

(26' 9˚ now a good many at opposite poles of sub-marginals & discals inflected) F.

No 10. 8˚ 50' put atom on the 2 central glands.

This looks like Longitudinal transmission

Lost

[13Bv]

26th 8˚ 50'. This leaf seems to have been overlooked now put on atom of meat; but it touched one other gland towards pedicel., besides the single central gland.

27' 8˚ 45. discal tentacles at both poles inflected towards it

(13C

Jun 25th. 11˚ cleaned 2 central glands sticks in 10 & 11'. & cleaned 2 sub-central glands stick 12 & 13

Jun 26th 9˚ 10' put atom of meat carefully on these 4 glands

27th 9˚ No' 10. the tentacles on disk, towards circumference at both poles inflected — The central gland with meat is not quite central, a little to left — a trace of inflection in lateral ten. of disc. [sketch]

(28' 13˚ there are now 12 short tentacles above meat directed to it.

29th 9˚ reexpanded F

do. no. 11. 5˚ nearly the same as no 10, except that more more tentacles over pedicel inflected than at opposite pole.

Both these cases support belief that influence transmit longitudinally, but then leaf is broader than long.

(28th 12˚same state

29th 9˚ beginning to expand

do. No' 12. Two sub-marginal tentacles inflected, & a very few on disc with a trace of inflection — (atom of meat not central)

28' 12˚there are now 6 7 short submarginal sub inflected; beside a few on disc itself

29 beginng to rise

over

[13Cv]

27th 9˚ No. 13. a few sub-marginal sub-inflected & one sub-margin over the pedicel.—

28th 12˚ 5 sub-marginals & about 5 on disc sub-inflected more than yesterday. (two over pedicel)

29th 9˚ same state (rising)

13D

Jun 30. 9˚ 30'— clean 8 leaves & will put on meat on one sub-marginal.

Stick with 1 ring (July 1. 8' 25' meat got on 2 glands) July 2d. 8˚ 15' ten tentacles inflected adjoining ones besides some on disc & some over pedicel, again indicating that influence transmitted longitudinally. — The meat was put on tentacle of 3d row from outside. the meat did not touch any on the disk; but may be touched some more laterals. At least 14 inflected— on both sides of the 2.

There certainly is lateral diffusion from the inner marginals. (July 3d reexpanding) F

Stick with 2 rings July 1 (8˚ 30) 2 were slightly inflected on each the 2 sides of one with meat) July 2d. 8˚ 30' 4, well inflected over over meat, & 5 sub-inflected. (Meat put on 5th row, inflection on both sides.) (July 3d 9˚ reexpanding) F

alln

Stick with 3 rings. July 2d 8˚ 30' meat put on 3d row (July 3d 9˚ at least a dozen inflected; but none of the 2 outer rows influence has been transmitted only centripetally & laterally. July 4th do rising

9˚ 35' Stick with 4 rings put meat on 4 tentacles; marginal, together & after curvature removed meat, but I am not sure that the atoms did not touch others.

10˚ 25' there are 6 tents. inflected. (N.B I suspect all the force is expended in travelling down length of tentacle, & so influence does not spread.) (July 1. 8˚ 30' I think more except those that were touched have become inflected)

(13E

July 6. 9˚30. Cleaned 3 disc except extreme marginals.

Sticks with paper Heads. (to see if any lateral transmission in extreme marginals.—

July 7th 10˚55' 11˚put on meat on these 3 extreme marginals.

(No 13. July 8th 10˚ 30' meat never reached centre, but caused much inflection, no others affected. (July 9th 11˚ meat seems to have dropped off the one long tentacle & fallen on discals but no other marginals inflected)

No' 12 — July 8th 10˚30.— meat never reached centre (July 9th 11th meat has now reached centre, but touched 2 other glands— No other marginal affected.

No (1) July 8th 10˚ 30 — July 9th 11˚ do the tentacle with meat now standing perpendicularly & much segregated, but no other marginal affected. — N. B. as far as my experiment goes, the extreme marginals do not transmit there influence laterally — seems all expanded in traveling down those long tentacles & causing its inflection.)

(Experiments a failure)

(15

Jun 21. 8˚ 30'.

Blue & red stick. 2 leaves with very little secretion but acted quickly with meat on one side — to see about secretion (I can see no difference in secretion on the opposite sides) (22d 8˚ 30' only one side of leaf lamina & tentacles has closed) (23d 8˚ 45' now the opposite side, lamina & tentacles, some of them, have closed over meat; so action sent, but very slowly to opposite side.) 24th, 8˚ the extreme marginal tent. on opposite side not yet inflected.) (25 8˚ 15' beginning to open on opposite side, as the tentacles cannot reach the meat; — in fact very little now inflected on opposite side.) (26th 8˚ 15 not fully rexpanded on opposite side: meat was strictly lateral, but fluid may have flowed to centre, & I think did so.)

Jun 21' 8˚ 30' 3 round black stick the meat on one side, a row of atoms to see if influence transmitted across leaf (I can see no difference in secretion on the opposite side): I must trust to segregation alone for evidence of some action transmitted to glands from centre.)

22d 8˚ 30— in all 3 leaves lamina of leaf, as well as tentacles much inflected on one side alone; in one case apparently more secretion on the glands on this side my impression is that influence radiate & div outwards alone from glands & disc.

(23d. 8˚ 50' inflection of lamina & tentacles still confined to one side alone.) (4˚ 45 perhaps a trace of inflection in the long tent, near pedicel on opposite side of leaf) (24th 8˚ no inflection on opposite side, yet leaves large; moistened 2 of them with saliva) (over)

(15

Jun 25 73 8˚ 15 One if the round stick the tentacles have reexpanded over meat & those on opposite side have never contracted. Second stick do & beginning to reexpand Jun 26 8˚ 15 now fully reexpanded

Third stick the tentacles on the disk alone on opposite side are now directed to the meat. meat, which I gave more saliva, which may have flowed as far as centre;

Jun 26 8˚ 25', now more fully rexpanded on opposite side; a large number of tentacles at base of leaf, over the pedicel & a little on opposite side are inflected; but then I think saliva flowed to centre.)

(18

Jun 23 73 11˚30' (6 Blue sticks)

atoms of meat put at distal end of young & old leaves; some on discal & some on sub-marginal-discal glands to see if will act on basal tentacles —

(24th 8˚ 15 adjoining shorter tentacles alone inflected but lamina of some leaves inflected.

(25th 8˚ 20 on 3 of leaves the tentacles on disk at opposite pol, & even near base of pedicel are partially inflected.

On 2 leaves no increased effect. On the sixth leaf the tentacles over meat are now straight again & so cut off & thrown away.

(26 8˚ 30' all 5 leaves have all tentacles fully reexpanded.

(23

Jun 26 9˚ 30' 7 Red sticks.

put atoms of meat on one side of young leaves— to see if transmitted laterally across leaf (& secretion)

27' 8˚ 20'. (1) certainly increased secretion on inflected side, with some tentacles over pedicel inflected

(2) do about secretion

(3) same about secretion

(4) pretty clear about secretion} These refer to tentacles almost perpendicular over the meat

(5) tentacles over pedicel inflected, but there meat rather medial.

(28th 11˚50 no more action — added to 3 of them a bit more meat & throw away other 4 sticks.

(29th. 8˚ 40 meat pushed to centre & drop of water on other; both thrown away; one remaining)

(no more action or specimens spoiled thrown away)

(24

Jun 26' 10˚50'. 6 Blue sticks with Blue glass— to see if inflection transmitted across — directive impulses & secretion.—

(27˚ 8˚ 15. (one thrown away caught fly) a very little inflection in some cases. — in one case there certainly seemed increased secretion on inflected side)

(28th 11˚45. no more action—) thrown away F

(30

Jun 30th 73 10˚35'— 5 sticks with paper heads — bits of meat put on laterally for inflection on opposite side & secretion

(I remember when I put then at end of leaf, a great many bent over pedicel on to disc.)

July 1' 8˚ 15' no 13 some tentacles beyond middle line of pedicel at the 2 polar or long ends, (but those are in fact near the meat) are slightly inflected towards meat in

Secretion certainly greater in all the inflected tentacles over meat than on opposite side. (July 2d 8˚ Certainly several on disk, beyond medial lines directed toward the meat, & 2 polar ends, some of the longer ones of disk, but none of the marginals or sub-marginals inflected (put on more meat) (3d. 9˚ in nearly same state) 4th do. 5th tentacles rising

July 1. 8˚ 20. No' 10 — 1 or 3 or 4 tent. on opposite close to pedicel inflected.— (secretion increased) (July 2d 8˚ the tentacles now rising again. (put on more meat) (3d 9˚ in same state) (4th certainly a few affected beyond medial line, added bit of raw meat) (5th 8˚ 15' certainly all the shorter tentacles on disc on opposite all pointing to meat.—)

The 3 other pale leaves had adjoining tentacles af inflected, but those on opposite side of disk not in the least affected.

(July 3d. 9˚ one with black mark on paper, with few on distal end beyond medial line well inflected. (July 4' rising)) (The 2 other leaves with none beyond— (it is certainly difficult to transmit across the leaf)

Try polar ones again.

(32

1873 July 6th 11˚10' about 5 leaves (sticks with rings) put on meat at polar ends

(1) (7th. (11˚ lam meat at base, lamina much incurved, & I think some of distal shorter tents inflected) (July 8' 10˚30' certainly some of all the discal ones at opposite side pole inflected.) on each side) less inflected —

(2) (7th 11˚not much action) (July 8th 10 30; short discal ones on both side at opposite pole inflected— now reexpanded over meat.)

(3) (7th 11˚ meat at distal end, some on one side gland to pedicel on disk inflected July 8th 10˚35' discal one on opposite pole inflected & now no others.

(4) (7th 11˚5' meat at distal end, son inflected on disc at basal end. July 8' 10˚35 reexpanding

(5) 7th 11˚5. meat at distal end, a few on disc at opposite end sub-inflected. July 8' 10˚35 reexpanding

[32v]

[calculations not transcribed]


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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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