Transcriber’s notes:
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Minor spelling inconsistencies are as in the original, e.g.
tetanising/tetanizing, Das/Dass, but the following overt spelling
errors have been corrected silently:
his —> this
despressing —> depressing
presistent —> persistent
actic —> lactic
excitabilitty —> excitability
Zephyanthes —> Zephyranthes
fal —> fall
tranmission —> transmission
substracting —> subtracting
issue —> tissue
conducing —> conducting
ummasking —> unmasking
be —> been
end —> and
flexture —> flexure
tentanising —> tetanising
anisotrophy —> anisotropy
The cover image of the book was created by the transcriber and is
placed in the public domain.
LIFE MOVEMENTS IN PLANTS
BY
SIR JAGADIS CHUNDER BOSE, Kt., M.A., D.Sc., C.S.I., C.I.E.,
PROFESSOR EMERITUS, PRESIDENCY COLLEGE,
DIRECTOR, BOSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
WITH 92 ILLUSTRATIONS
_B.R. Publishing Corp.
Delhi_
Cataloging in Publication Data-DK
Bose, Jagadish Chandra, 1858-1937.
Life movements in plants.
Reprint.
1. Plants--Irritability and movements. 2. Growth (Plants).
3. Plants--Development. 4. Botany. I. Title.
_First Published_ 1918
_Reprinted_ 1985
_Published in India by_
B.R. PUBLISHING CORPORATION
461, VIVEKANAND NAGAR,
DELHI-110052 (INDIA)
_Distributed by_
D.K. PUBLISHERS’ DISTRIBUTORS
1, ANSARI ROAD, DARYA GANJ,
NEW DELHI-110002 (INDIA)
PHONE: 27-8368
_Printed at_:
BRITE PRINTERS
NEW DELHI-110005 (INDIA)
CONTENTS
PART I.
RESPONSE OF PLANT ORGANS.
I.--THE PROBLEM OF MOVEMENT IN PLANTS.
PAGE
Complexity of the problem--Effects of different forms
of stimuli--Diverse responses under identical
stimulus--Modification of response determined by intensity
and point of application of stimulus, and tonic condition of
organ--Response of pulvinated and growing organs--Necessity
for shortening the period of experiment 1
II.--THE “PRAYING” PALM TREE.
Description of phenomenon--The Recording apparatus--Record
of diurnal movement of the tree--Universality of tree
movement--Cause of periodic movement--Periodic movement
of trees, and diurnal variation of moto-excitability
in _Mimosa pudica_--Relative effects of light
and temperature--Physiological character of the
movement--Transpiration and diurnal movement--Diurnal
movement in inverted position--Effect of variation of
temperature on geotropic curvature--Reversal of natural
rhythm by artificial variation of temperature 5
III.--ACTION OF STIMULUS ON VEGETABLE TISSUES.
Different types of Response Recorders--Response of a radial
organ--Response of an anisotropic organ--Response of pulvinus
of _Mimosa pudica_--Tabular statement of apex time and
period of recovery in different plants--Response of pulvinus
of _Mimosa_ to variation of turgor--Different modes of
stimulation 31
IV.--THE DIURNAL VARIATION OF EXCITABILITY IN _MIMOSA_.
Apparatus for study of variation of excitability--Uniform
periodic stimulation--The Response Recorder--Effects of
external condition on excitability--Effects of light
and darkness--Effect of excessive turgor--Influence of
temperature--Diurnal variation of excitability--Effect of
physiological inertia 43
V.--RESPONSE OF PETIOLE-PULVINUS PREPARATION OF _MIMOSA_.
Effect of wound or section in modification of normal
excitability--The change of excitability after immersion in
water--Quantitative determination of the rate of decay of
excitability in an isolated preparation--Effect of amputation
of upper half of the pulvinus--Effect of removal of the lower
half--Influence of weight of leaf on rapidity of responsive
fall--The action of chemical agents--Effect of “fatigue” on
response--The action of light and darkness on excitability 73
VI.--CONDUCTION OF EXCITATION IN PLANTS.
Hydro-dynamic _versus_ physiological theory of conduction
of excitation--Arrest of conductivity by physiological
blocks--Convection and conduction of excitation--Effect
of temperature on velocity--Effect of season--Effect of
age--Effect of dessication of conducting tissue--Influence
of tonic condition on conduction--Effect of intensity
of stimulus on velocity of transmission--Effect
of stimulus on sub-tonic tissues and tissues in
optimum condition--Canalisation of conducting path by
stimulus--Effect of injury on conductivity 97
VII.--ELECTRIC CONTROL OF EXCITATORY IMPULSE.
Method of conductivity-balance--Control of transmitted
excitation in _Averrhoa bilimbi_ by electric
current--‘Uphill’ transmission--Transmission
‘downhill’--Electric control of nervous impulse in
animal--Directive action of current on conduction of
excitation--Effects of direction of current on velocity
of transmission in _Mimosa_--Determination of variation
of conductivity by method of Minimal Stimulus and
Response--Influence of direction of current on conduction
of excitation in animal nerve--Variation of velocity of
transmission--After-effects on Heterodromous and Homodromous
currents--Laws of variation of nervous conduction under
electric current 107
VIII.--EFFECT OF INDIRECT STIMULUS ON PULVINATED ORGANS.
Conduction of excitation--Dual character of the transmitted
impulse--Effect of distance of application of
stimulus--Periods of transmission of positive and negative
impulses--Effects of Direct and Indirect stimulus 135
IX.--MODIFYING INFLUENCE OF TONIC CONDITION ON RESPONSE.
Theory of assimilation and dissimilation--Unmasking of positive
effect--Modification of response under artificial depression
of tonic condition--Positive response in sub-tonic specimen 141