From Daniel Oliver   [15–16 October 1860]¹

From ‘Botanische Zeitung’ (Regensburg) 1833. p. 96 Notice of Prof. Burnett on irritable plants & the insects wh. they secure.²

“Ich habe einen Versuch mit 2 Exemplaren der Dionæa muscipula gemacht, und zu dem Ende 2 von beinahe gleicher Grösse & Gesundheit gewählt. Die eine davon bekam weder Würmer noch Fliegen u.s.w., während die andere täglich mit kleinen Ueberbleibseln von Thieren gefüttert wurde: das Ergebniss dieser Versuchs war, dass die erste pflanze, bei ihrer strengen Diät, allmählig hinwelkte, die andere aber, bei ihrer Fleischkost(?) sich vortrefflich befand.”—

Nuttal, in Gen^a. No. American Plants, p. 277, (note)— “This sensibility is said to reside principally in the 4 capillary processes situated upon the disk of the lamina. While engaged in collecting this plant in its singularly insulated situation near Wilmington, in North Carolina, I had occasion to observe that a detached leaf would make repeated efforts towards disclosing itself to the influence of the Sun, these attempts consisted in an undulating motion of the marginal ciliæ, accompanied by a partial opening & succeeding collapse of the lamina, which at length terminated in a complete expansion & in the destruction of sensibility.”—³

Note fr. Drummond. Swan River Bot^y. Kew J^l. Bot^y. v. 345.⁴

Speakg. of a sp. of Elatine.— “I have ascertained that in the minute submerged concealed flowers, the anthers burst internally, & the seeds arrive at maturity in a much shorter time than they require when the inflorescence is exposed to the air.” x x x x x x