When flowers seemed to flash at dusk

"lightning-like phosphorescence" — Linnaeus's daughter, on nasturtium flowers during a sultry, stormy night, as reported by M. C. Cooke
"a gold-coloured lambent light appeared to play from petal to petal of the flowers" — M. C. Cooke, summarising Mr. Dowden's report on double marigolds, 4 August 1842
"The flashes had the exact appearance of summer lightning in miniature." — A witness watching scarlet verbenas in June 1858, quoted by Cooke
"It appeared to be an optical illusion" — Goethe, on an oriental poppy's apparent flash in June 1799, quoted by Cooke
"The facts at present ascertained do not permit us to suggest any theory" — M. C. Cooke, closing his chapter on luminosity

trust to the future for their elucidation.

When flowers seemed to flash at dusk

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