Asks for information about pollen of bee orchid. Asks for specimens.
Showing 1–20 of 22 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.
Asks for information about pollen of bee orchid. Asks for specimens.
Asks about removal of pollen-masses in bee orchid.
Will return home on 5th and go to Charles Langton’s on the 9th.
Thanks for orchid specimens.
On 10th and 11th will be at Tunbridge Wells.
Thanks for Epipactis.
Has AGM looked at pollen masses of bee orchid? Discusses method of insect fertilisation. Asks for specimens.
Thanks for observations on bee orchid.
Comments on Hooker’s ["On the functions and structure of the rostellum of Listera ovata", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 144 (1854): 259–64].
Discusses rostellum and describes fertilisation of Epipactis.
Asks AGM to make an experiment on Epipactis.
Discusses Spiranthes. Did AGM see dipterous insects insert proboscis?
Asks for information about Epipactis.
Describes fertilisation of Orchis pyramidalis.
Has received moth with pollen from O. pyramidalis.
Obliged for offer to observe orchids.
Not surprised that AGM demurs to acceptance of his views. Discusses effects of natural selection.
Asks for specimens of Aceras.
Mentions orchid species he has seen. Asks AGM to make observations.
Sends queries concerning insect fertilisation of Epipactis palustris.
Would be grateful for observations on orchids.
Believes Spiranthes visited by moths. Asks AGM to repeat experiment on Spiranthes.
Asks for more flowers of Epipactis palustris. Asks AGM to experiment on Epipactis.
Asks for specimen of Orchis latifolia and O. maculata. " … as some Botanists doubt whether they are distinct species it would be rather curious to show them insects distinguish them".
Found a lot of bee orchids. "All facts point clearly to self-fertilisation in this species; yet I cannot swallow the bitter pill."
Thanks for Epipactis palustris. Doubts moths are the visitants. Thanks for experiment.
Has found hundreds of Spiranthes.
Would like capsule of Epipactis palustris. Asks for information.
Discusses seed capsules [of Epipactis palustris?].
Sorry AGM is in bad health.
Asks AGM to experiment on Epipactis palustris.
Suspects that bee orchid is self-fertilising form of Ophrys arachnites, which requires insect aid.
Describes experiment on role of labellum in fertilisation of orchids. Asks for information.