Fig. 191.—Effect of sudden darkening at arrow, produces movement of closure (up-curve). Restoration of light induces opening movement (down-curve). Successive dots at intervals of 15 minutes. (Leaflet of Cassia.)
DIURNAL MOVEMENT OF THE LEAFLET OF Cassia alata.
The leaflet of Cassia alata exhibits a movement of opening in the morning, and it remains outspread throughout the day. It then begins to close before evening and remains closed throughout the night. The problem before us is to find out the relative importance of variation of temperature and of light in the diurnal movement of the leaflets.
In the daytime the light is increasing till midday; there is, on the other hand, a rapid decline of light after 5 p.m. and uninterrupted darkness at night. As regards temperature there is a continuous rise from morning till the thermal noon at 2 p.m., after which the fall of temperature is continuous till next morning. The opening of the leaflets in the daytime may therefore be due to the summated effects of rising temperature and increasing light, the closure, on the other hand, being due to falling temperature, and to darkness. The individual effect of each of these factors is not known and it is therefore necessary to determine the effects of variation of temperature and of light.
EFFECT OF VARIATION OF TEMPERATURE.
Experiment 204.—The plant was enclosed in a glass chamber and exposed to diffuse light. The experiment was commenced at midday, when the leaflets were open; the light was kept uniform while temperature was artificially increased by means of an electric heater placed in the chamber, and decreased by introducing cold air into the plant chamber. One of the leaflets was attached to the recording lever and its movement, up or down, indicated the movement of opening or closure. The records showed that rise of temperature induces a movement of closure, while that of fall brings about the movement of opening.
EFFECT OF VARIATION OF LIGHT.
Experiment 205.—This experiment was also carried out at midday, when the leaflets were open. The horizontal record in figure 191 represents the stationary expanded condition of the leaflet; a black cloth was put over the glass chamber at 1 p.m., and the effect of darkness was recorded for one hour. Darkness is seen to initiate a movement of closure which increased at a rapid rate; the black cloth was removed after an hour, and the movement of opening under light was completed in the course of five quarters of an hour. It is thus seen that the leaflets are extremely sensitive to the action of light.
The experiments that have just been described on the effects of rise of temperature, and of light, show that they are antagonistic to each other. In the forenoon the opening movement under light has to be carried out against the closure movement due to rise of temperature. Light, therefore, is the predominant factor in the diurnal movement of the leaflets of Cassia. The closure effect of darkness at night, on the other hand, overpowers the tendency of movement of opening due to fall of temperature.