Personality of plants

PERSONALITY OF PLANTS
There are other movements of leaves and
flowers the object of which is not quite so apparent.
For instance, there is the Hedysarum
Gyrans or Oscillating Sainfoin. Each of its
leaves has three folioles. The center one is very
large and stands bolt upright, except at night,
when it condescends to bend its head in sleep.
The two lateral folioles are in perpetual oscil-
lation both day and night. Nothing but a very
hot sun seems able to stop their movement.
Possibly, this plant is a fresh air fiend which
requires a steady atmospheric flow upon its
respiratory surfaces! The two lateral folioles
of each leaf are delegated to act as fans and
blow a constant supply of air upon their majestic
brother.
Similar oscillations have been noticed in
some Orchids, where a part of the flower's
corolla rises and falls with a regular rhythm not
unlike the beating of a human pulse.
The stamens and pistils of flowers sometimes
have the power of movement. If an insect,
wandering about in the flower of the Barberry
Tree (Berberis Vulgaris), happens to touch
the base of a stamen, it bends forward with a
[126]