Insectivorous Plants by Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

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

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.

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 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

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.

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.