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Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

"The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants"

{34} The
tendrils are very thin, delicate, and straight, with the exception of
the tips, which are a little curved; they are from 7 to 9 inches in
length. A half-grown tendril is not sensitive; but when nearly full-
grown they are extremely sensitive. A single delicate touch on the
concave surface of the tip soon caused one to curve; and in 2 minutes
it formed an open helix. A loop of soft thread weighing one thirty-
second of a grain (2.02 mg.) placed most gently on the tip, thrice
caused distinct curvature. A bent bit of thin platina wire weighing
only fiftieth of a grain (1.23 mg.) twice produced the same effect;
but this latter weight, when left suspended, did not suffice to cause
a permanent curvature. These trials were made under a bell-glass, so
that the loops of thread and wire were not agitated by the wind. The
movement after a touch is very rapid: I took hold of the lower part
of several tendrils, and then touched their concave tips with a thin
twig and watched them carefully through a lens; the tips evidently
began to bend after the following intervals--31, 25, 32, 31, 28, 39,
31, and 30 seconds; so that the movement was generally perceptible in
half a minute after a touch; but on one occasion it was distinctly
visible in 25 seconds.


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