RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1872-1873]. ['On the movement of the leaves of Drosera'], folios 113-114. CUL-DAR61.105. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 12.2022. RN2
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).
The volume CUL-DAR61 contains Darwin's draft essay 'On the movement of the leaves of Drosera', written 1872-1873. He intended to publish this with a revised edition of Climbing plants before commencing a larger book draft in April 1874 which became Insectivorous plants. See the introduction to this essay by John van Wyhe.
[105]
[top of page excised]
(113 & 114
Nitric acid. the following experiment, though not relating to a salt, may here be here given. One m drop of nitric acid was added to an ounce of water, so that it was rendered barely acidulous to the taste. Half-minim drop of the mixture was placed on the disc of four leaves. After 24º two of them have had their marginal tentacle inflected; two remained uninflected. A second dose was then given to the two latter leaves, & they were then sensibly affected, but they afterwards appeared injured.
Two leaves were also immersed in the same mixture
[separate piece of paper pasted on:]
(114
in order to see if segregation was each quickly induced; but no marked change could be perceived after 1º, I then placed one of the leaves when Being afterwards Being then placed for some time in a solution of each three grains of carbonate of ammonia to the ounce strongly proved segregation soon ensued.)
Aggregation
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 23 February, 2026