Insectivorous Plants
Charles Darwin
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA, OR THE COMMON SUN-DEW.
Number of insects captured--Description of the leaves and their
appendages or tentacles-- Preliminary sketch of the action of the
various parts, and of the manner in which insects are
captured--Duration of the inflection of the tentacles--Nature of the
secretion--Manner in which insects are carried to the centre of the
leaf--Evidence that the glands have the power of absorption--Small size
of the roots...Pages 1-18
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CHAPTER II.
THE MOVEMENTS OF THE TENTACLES FROM THE CONTACT OF SOLID BODIES.
Inflection of the exterior tentacles owing to the glands of the disc
being excited by repeated touches, or by objects left in contact with
them--Difference in the action of bodies yielding and not yielding
soluble nitrogenous matter--Inflection of the exterior tentacles
directly caused by objects left in contact with their glands--Periods
of commencing inflection and of subsequent re-expansion--Extreme
minuteness of the particles causing inflection--Action under
water--Inflection of the exterior tentacles when their glands are
excited by repeated touches--Falling drops of water do not cause
inflection...19-37 [page vi.]
CHAPTER III.
AGGREGATION OF THE PROTOPLASM WITHIN THE CELLS OF THE TENTACLES.
Nature of the contents of the cells before aggregation--Various causes
which excite aggregation--The process commences within the glands and
travels down the tentacles-- Description of the aggregated masses and
of their spontaneous movements--Currents of protoplasm along the walls
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of the cells--Action of carbonate of ammonia--The granules in the
protoplasm which flows along the walls coalesce with the central
masses--Minuteness of the quantity of carbonate of ammonia causing
aggregation--Action of other salts of ammonia--Of other substances,
organic fluids, &c.--Of water--Of heat--Redissolution of the aggregated
masses--Proximate causes of the aggregation of the protoplasm--Summary
and concluding remarks--Supplementary observations on aggregation in
the roots of plants...Pages 38-65
CHAPTER IV.
THE EFFECTS OF HEAT ON THE LEAVES.
Nature of the experiments--Effects of boiling water--Warm water causes
rapid inflection-- Water at a higher temperature does not cause
immediate inflection, but does not kill the leaves, as shown by their
subsequent re-expansion and by the aggregation of the protoplasm-- A
still higher temperature kills the leaves and coagulates the albuminous
contents of the glands...66-75
CHAPTER V.
THE EFFECTS OF NON-NITROGENOUS AND NITROGENOUS ORGANIC FLUIDS ON
THE LEAVES.
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Non-nitrogenous fluids--Solutions of gum arabic--Sugar--Starch--Diluted
alcohol--Olive oil-- Infusion and decoction of tea--Nitrogenous
fluids--Milk--Urine--Liquid albumen--Infusion of raw meat--Impure
mucus--Saliva--Solution of isinglass--Difference in the action of these
two sets of fluids--Decoction of green peas--Decoction and infusion of
cabbage--Decoction of grass leaves...76-84 [page vii.]
CHAPTER VI.
THE DIGESTIVE POWER OF THE SECRETION OF DROSERA.
The secretion rendered acid by the direct and indirect excitement of
the glands--Nature of the acid--Digestible substances--Albumen, its
digestion arrested by alkalies, recommences by the addition of an
acid--Meat--Fibrin--Syntonin--Areolar
tissue--Cartilage--Fibro-cartilage-- Bone--Enamel and
dentine--Phosphate of lime--Fibrous basis of bone--Gelatine--Chondrin--
Milk, casein and
cheese--Gluten--Legumin--Pollen--Globulin--Haematin--Indigestible
substances--Epidermic productions--Fibro-elastic
tissue--Mucin--Pepsin--Urea--Chitine--
Cellulose--Gun-cotton--Chlorophyll--Fat and oil--Starch--Action of the
secretion on living seeds--Summary and concluding remarks...Pages
85-135
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CHAPTER VII.
THE EFFECTS OF SALTS OF AMMONIA.
Manner of performing the experiments--Action of distilled water in
comparison with the solutions--Carbonate of ammonia, absorbed by the
roots--The vapour absorbed by the glands- -Drops on the disc--Minute
drops applied to separate glands--Leaves immersed in weak
solutions--Minuteness of the doses which induce aggregation of the
protoplasm--Nitrate of ammonia, analogous experiments with--Phosphate
of ammonia, analogous experiments with- -Other salts of
ammonia--Summary and concluding remarks on the action of salts of
ammonia...136-173
CHAPTER VIII.
THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS OTHER SALTS, AND ACIDS, ON THE LEAVES.
Salts of sodium, potassium, and other alkaline, earthy, and metallic
salts--Summary on the action of these salts--Various acids--Summary on
their action...174-198 [page viii.]
CHAPTER IX.
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THE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN ALKALOID POISONS, OTHER SUBSTANCES AND
VAPOURS.
Strychnine, salts of--Quinine, sulphate of, does not soon arrest the
movement of the protoplasm--Other salts of
quinine--Digitaline--Nicotine--Atropine--Veratrine--Colchicine--
Theine--Curare--Morphia--Hyoscyamus--Poison of the cobra, apparently
accelerates the movements of the protoplasm--Camphor, a powerful
stimulant, its vapour narcotic--Certain essential oils excite
movement--Glycerine--Water and certain solutions retard or prevent the
subsequent action of phosphate of ammonia--Alcohol innocuous, its
vapour narcotic and poisonous--Chloroform, sulphuric and nitric ether,
their stimulant, poisonous, and narcotic power--Carbonic acid narcotic,
not quickly poisonous--Concluding remarks...Pages 199-228
CHAPTER X.
ON THE SENSITIVENESS OF THE LEAVES, AND ON THE LINES OF TRANSMISSION
OF THE MOTOR IMPULSE.
Glands and summits of the tentacles alone sensitive--Transmission of
the motor impulse down the pedicels of the tentacles, and across the
blade of the leaf--Aggregation of the protoplasm, a reflex
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action--First discharge of the motor impulse sudden--Direction of the
movements of the tentacles--Motor impulse transmitted through the
cellular tissue-- Mechanism of the movements--Nature of the motor
impulse--Re-expansion of the tentacles...229-261
CHAPTER XI.
RECAPITULATION OF THE CHIEF OBSERVATIONS ON DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA.
262-277 [page ix.]
CHAPTER XII.
ON THE STRUCTURE AND MOVEMENTS OF SOME OTHER SPECIES OF DROSERA.
Drosera anglica--Drosera intermedia--Drosera capensis--Drosera
spathulata--Drosera filiformis--Drosera binata--Concluding
remarks...Pages 278-285
CHAPTER XIII.
DIONAEA MUSCIPULA.
Structure of the leaves--Sensitiveness of the filaments--Rapid movement
of the lobes caused by irritation of the filaments--Glands, their power
of secretion--Slow movement caused by the absorption of animal
matter--Evidence of absorption from the aggregated condition of the
glands--Digestive power of the secretion--Action of chloroform, ether,
and hydrocyanic acid- -The manner in which insects are captured--Use of
the marginal spikes--Kinds of insects captured--The transmission of the
motor impulse and mechanism of the movements-- Re-expansion of the
lobes...286-320
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CHAPTER XIV.
ALDROVANDA VESICULOSA.
Captures crustaceans--Structure of the leaves in comparison with those
of Dionaea-- Absorption by the glands, by the quadrifid processes, and
points on the infolded margins-- Aldrovanda vesiculosa, var.
australis--Captures prey--Absorption of animal matter-- Aldrovanda
vesiculosa, var. verticillata--Concluding remarks...321-331
CHAPTER XV.
DROSOPHYLLUM--RORIDULA--BYBLIS--GLANDULAR HAIRS OF OTHER PLANTS--
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE DROSERACEAE.
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Drosophyllum--Structure of leaves--Nature of the secretion--Manner of
catching insects-- Power of absorption--Digestion of animal
substances--Summary on Drosophyllum--Roridula- -Byblis--Glandular hairs
of other plants, their power of absorption--Saxifraga--Primula--
Pelargonium--Erica--Mirabilis--Nicotiana--Summary on glandular
hairs--Concluding remarks on the Droseraceae...332-367 [page x.]
CHAPTER XVI.
PINGUICULA.
Pinguicula vulgaris--Structure of leaves--Number of insects and other
objects caught-- Movement of the margins of the leaves--Uses of this
movement--Secretion, digestion, and absorption--Action of the secretion
on various animal and vegetable substances--The effects of substances
not containing soluble nitrogenous matter on the glands--Pinguicula
grandiflora--Pinguicula lusitanica, catches insects--Movement of the
leaves, secretion and digestion...Pages 368-394
CHAPTER XVII.
UTRICULARIA.
Utricularia neglecta--Structure of the bladder--The uses of the several
parts--Number of imprisoned animals--Manner of capture--The bladders
cannot digest animal matter, but absorb the products of its
decay--Experiments on the absorption of certain fluids by the quadrifid
processes--Absorption by the glands--Summary of the observation on
absorption-- Development of the bladders--Utricularia
vulgaris--Utricularia minor--Utricularia clandestina...395-430
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CHAPTER XVIII.
UTRICULARIA (continued).
Utricularia montana--Description of the bladders on the subterranean
rhizomes--Prey captured by the bladders of plants under culture and in
a state of nature--Absorption by the quadrifid processes and
glands--Tubers serving as reservoirs for water--Various other species
of Utricularia--Polypompholyx--Genlisea, different nature of the trap
for capturing prey-- Diversified methods by which plants are
nourished...431-453
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INDEX...455-462
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