JD communicates, after seven years, news of a new "sport" of Pelargonium, sterile both with other varieties and with the mother plant, thus indicating that it is possibly a new species.
Showing 1–6 of 6 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
JD communicates, after seven years, news of a new "sport" of Pelargonium, sterile both with other varieties and with the mother plant, thus indicating that it is possibly a new species.
Replies to CD’s queries. Duke of Cornwall Pelargonium is fertile with its own pollen. Has failed to produce hybrids from other varieties besides P. peltatum and P. elegans. Sends numbers of the Florist which contain an account of his mode of procedure ["On cross-breeding pelargoniums" Florist & Pomologist (1872): 10, 34, 50].
Reports a confirmation of his theory of the prepotence of the male parent.
Thanks CD for his offer to communicate the results of his experiments with Pelargonium to the Linnean Society. Prefers to continue experimenting for at least another season before doing so.
Has read JD’s articles in the Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1872): 872, 904–5].
Questions him on the fertility of certain varieties of Pelargonium which are fertile with some varieties but infertile with others.
Discusses JD’s crossing experiments with Pelargonium; notes that his conclusions on male prepotence oppose those of Gärtner. Suggests that his observations on differences in fertility of certain varieties of Pelargonium crossed with certain other varieties be communicated to the Linnean Society.
Discusses the mutual sterility of some varieties of Pelargonium.