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Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose – His Life and Speeches

The whole of the  vegetable world, including rigid trees perceive the changes in their environment and respond to them by unmistakeable signals.  They thrill under light and become depressed by darkness; the warmth of summer and frost of winter, drought and rain, these and many other happenings leave a subtle impression on the life of the plant.

Plants too are subject to exaltation and depression and at certain hours of the day they are fully conscious and active, while at other hours they are dormant and lazy.  Dr Bose showed by means of a chart that they [his test plants] were fast asleep between 6 and 9 in the morning... a series of records were then shown to illustrate the various degrees of plant consciousness.

Proceeding, Dr Bose said that plants were far more conscious of nature than human beings and described … how plants were sensitive even to passing clouds, which produced in them a depressing effect.  He spoke of the difference between thin and wiry grown plants and those that were stout and robust.  In that respect they again resembled human beings - thin and wiry grown plants were far more susceptible of excitement than the others.  They too needed rest and without it, they were flabby and depressed