Discusses the cleistogamous flowers of Oxalis. Thinks they may not be truly cleistogamous but merely arrested or imperfectly developed normal flowers.
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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.
Discusses the cleistogamous flowers of Oxalis. Thinks they may not be truly cleistogamous but merely arrested or imperfectly developed normal flowers.
Thanks for Forms of flowers.
Alexander Dickson would like to know whether anyone has described the epidermal cells lining the pitcher of Cephalotus.
Extracts from botanical literature dealing with Dionaea, intercrossing, and sensitivity. [Bot. Ztg. (1833): 96; Thomas Nuttall, Genera of N. American plants (1818)].
Cites descriptions of melastomads in C. V. Naudin, Annales des Sciences Naturelles 3d ser., vols. 12–18.
CD’s observations on preference of Drosera for milk and nitrogenous fluids, and the effect of nitrate of ammonia are interesting. Asks whether CD is satisfied that the effect is not due to density of fluid or to a chemical irritant. His own observations suggest such possibilities.
His results with pure gum on Drosera spathulata entirely support CD’s opinion. Other observations on insectivorous plants.
Quotes note by Julius Milde on Drosera rotundifolia from Botanische Zeitung (1852): 540.
Dr Hooker has given him CD’s memorandum on the fly-catcher.
Copies out extract from Curtis’ Botanical Magazine [On Apocynum androsæmifolium, 8 (1794): tab.]: 280 and gives a further reference in Erasmus Darwin’s The loves of plants [1789]. Suggests that they look at Apocynum.
List of references on orchid structure and fertilisation.
Refers CD to a paper which he ought to know: Ch. Fermond, "Faits pour servir à l’histoire générale de la fécondation chez les végétaux", Recueil des travaux de la Société d’émulation pour les sciences pharmaceutiques 3 (1859).
Now believes flowers of Fumariaceae must be self-fertilised.
Planning a piece on dimorphism in the Natural History Review ["On the two forms, or dimorphic condition, in the species of Primula … by Charles Darwin", n.s. 2 (1862): 235–43].
Observations on Campanula dimorphism.
Distinguishes two kinds of floral dimorphism: that affecting sexual organs and that affecting outer envelopes.
Thanks for Orchids.
Sends orchids from W. H. Gower.
Sends flowers with anthers of two colours.
Has given directions to save seeds of Lythrum hyssopifolium.
CD’s diagram of Lythrum salicaria is very remarkable. [See Collected papers 2: 107.]
Discusses primrose ovules,
Atlantis paper [Nat. Hist. Rev. (1862): 149–70],
plant migrations;
Corydalis.
Informs CD of possible dimorphism of Epilobium angustifolium.
Discusses the female parts of the Primula flower; the true character of the free placenta is not completely understood.
The number of "aquatic" flowers is reduced if one considers only those that expand under water.
Lecturing at Norwich.