, 1863-01-10
: Stray Leaves from the Book of Nature.


Some plants go regularly to rest, and
sleep so profoundly that in clover field
not leaf opens until after sunrise, and
others in South America are universally
known as the "sleepers" Most mimosas
fold up their delicate, feathery leaves as
night approaches, and when the sun rises
once more, the little sleepy ones unfold
again, slowly, and, as it were, reluctant,
like some of us to begin their work anew.
1t has even been observed, these so-called
sensitive plants, when wounded or other
wise suffering, cannot sleep, but keep their
leaves open and erect all night long, until
they perish. Other plants close their leaves
during the day, and awake from their slum-
bers at night, while few even droop and
clasp the stem, as if seeking support in its
strength, whenever the sky is overcast and
a storm is threatening.
This peculiar faculty of sleep stands in
immediate connection with the general pow
er of certain leaves to move, either upon
coming in contact with other bodies, or,
apparently, in spontaneous motion. All
the above mentioned mimosas fold up their
leaves when merely touched: first one lit
tie leafet will be closed, and then another,
until the whole leaf proper, with its deli
cate footstalk, droops down and clasps the
stem of the parent. If the plant is very
irritable-and nervousness is here found in
proportion to good health-the other leaves
will follow the example, until the whole
little plants plays, to use Virginia phrase,
''possum," and looks for all the world, as
if it were asleep The oxalis of this conti-
nent requires several successive strokes to
produce the same effect, and the robina, or
locust, which sleeps all night, must be vio-
lently shaken. The common wild lettuce,
also, shows great irrita5ility, and curl
ously enough, only when the plant is in
flower. Upon being touched, the leaves
contract beneath, and force out, above, a
milky juice, with which they soon become
covered.
The so-called spontaneous movements of
leaves and other plants arise mostly, though
not always, from their general tendency to
turn toward the light. Little is as yet
known with accuracy of this interesting
feature in the life of plants. A great num-
Der of leaves, however, alter their position
by night and by day. Some make a half,
their points downward Others, again,
fold up, in regular order, the youngest leaf
first, as if it required most rest, whilst the
oldest are apt to do entirely without it. In
other plants it is the state of the atmos-
phere which determines such movements
the boards of the geranium and wild oat
curl up in dry weather, and straighten again
in damp days-other plants to the contra
ry. The hygrometrica of South America
closes the leaflets of its finely pinnated TO-
hage long before the clouds rise, and thus
foretells the impending change of the
weather, and the plant known among us as
the fy-trap, is called in its home on the
warm plains on the banks of the Senegal,
the good morning flower, because at that
season of the day it gracefully bends over
andfbows to the passer-by. On the banks
of the Ganges, however, exists vegetable
form, SO quick Of life as to resemble some
of the minor animals in its motion The
leaflets of this singular plant are in per-
petual motion; one leafet will rise by a
succession of little starts, and then fall in
like manner; while one rises, another
droops, and thus the motion continues and
eAJ6uuS OF6I Iu6 WuOlG IOIlag6. N OF QO6S
it cease at night; in fact, it is said to be
more vigorous even in the shade, and in
the still, hot hours of an Indian summer
night, the plant is full of life and incessant
motion. Not less singular is the action
it is more than motion-of plants, like We
nus fly trap, and others. The flowers are
covered with sweet honey, and thus allure
many an unfortunate insect, which no soon
,er have touched the sweet store than the
plant moves either the long stiff hairs,
which grow along the middle nerve, or clo-
ses its crown of gorgeously colored leaves
above, and thus seizes upon the unlucky
robber. We can speak no longer of sweet,
innocent fowers-for so fond are those
blood-thirsty plants of their favorite deli
cacies that they will not thrive in green
houses from which insects are excluded,
and gardeners have been compelled to sup
ply them, strange as it may seem, literally
with animal food, to see them thrive and
blossom in their native home.-M. Schele
de Vtre.