RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1875.09.30. Draft of Probable Causes of movements of Mimosa / Proof sheet of Insectivorous plants, p. 115, published p, 215. CUL-DAR66.44. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2023. 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 volume CUL-DAR66 contains notes on 'bloom'. Francis Darwin explained: "His researches into the meaning of the 'bloom,' or waxy coating found on many leaves, was one of those inquiries which remained unfinished at the time of his death. He amassed a quantity of notes on the subject". LL3: 339. See an Introduction to these folders by Christine Chua & John van Wyhe.
Darwin's signed copy of Kerner's Die Schutzmittel des Pollens is in CUL-DAR136.14.
A. Kerner, Die Schutzmittel des Pollens (Separatabdruck aus den Berichten des Naturw.-med. Vereines zu Innsbruck. II. und III. Jahrgang 1872).
[44]
Sept 30 1875) Probable causes of the movements of mimosa when touched & on the use of the bloom or waxen secretion on Leaves
(Order of Paper)
Known that leaves move spontaneously & when touched, these slight & useless movements f basis of all movements of Climbing Plants
(Read Kerner in English)
Probably of Kerners Schutzmittel, for do not occur with plants inhabiting dry countries.
Now what is meaning of well-known [illeg] of Mimosa — has interested me for many years — so too pronounced to be meaningless — Having ascertained with Dionæa & Drosera that movement specially & not affected in by stream of water, I was led to try the syringe used on Mimosa— a few extremely sensitive, & as I likewise [illeg] moreover well adapted to shake off drops of water leaves protected by Bloom— I was led to investigate subject.—
Begin
Perhaps [illeg] for bloom.— Show water injurious— Fruit — try salt-water on cabbage & sea-Kale &c. —
[44v]
[Proof sheet of Insectivorous plants, p. 115, published p. 215.]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 5 July, 2023