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Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

"The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants"

Tendrils which have
caught nothing simply bend downwards and inwards, like the
extremities of the leaves of the Corydalis claviculata. But in all
cases the petiole after a time is angularly and abruptly bent
downwards like that of Eccremocarpus.

CHAPTER IV.--TENDRIL-BEARERS--(continued).

CUCURBITACEAE.--Homologous nature of the tendrils--Echinocystis
lobata, remarkable movements of the tendrils to avoid seizing the
terminal shoot--Tendrils not excited by contact with another tendril
or by drops of water--Undulatory movement of the extremity of the
tendril--Hanburya, adherent discs--VITACAE--Gradation between the
flower-peduncles and tendrils of the vine--Tendrils of the Virginian
Creeper turn from the light, and, after contact, develop adhesive
discs--SAPINDACEAE--PASSIFLORACEAE--Passiflora gracilis--Rapid
revolving movement and sensitiveness of the tendrils--Not sensitive
to the contact of other tendrils or of drops of water--Spiral
contraction of tendrils--Summary on the nature and action of
tendrils.
CUCURBITACEAE.--The tendrils in this family have been ranked by
competent judges as modified leaves, stipules, or branches; or as
partly a leaf and partly a branch.


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