Another series of investigations were carried out on the paralysing
effect of severe wound. A leaf of Mimosa was cut off from the plant, and
the subsequent histories of the wounded plant and the detached leaf are
curiously different. The cutting of one of its leaves had caused a great
shock to the parent plant, and an intense excitation spreads over to the
distant organs. All the leaves remained depressed and irresponsive for
several hours. From this state of paralysed sensibility, the plant
gradually recovers and the leaves begin to show returning sensitiveness.
The detached leaf, when placed in a nourishing solution soon recovers,
and holds up its head with an attitude indicative of defiance, and the
responses it gives are energetic. This lasts for twenty four hours,
after which a curious change creeps in the vigour of its responses
begins rapidly to wane. The leaf hitherto erect, falls over; death had
at last asserted its mastery.
--_Amrita Bazar Patrika_, 10-2-1919.