From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
21 June 1858
Source of text:
DAR 76: B15
Summary:
Self-fertilisation in Fumariaceae.
[CD note on bees’ visiting some members of Fumariaceae.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
4 July 1858
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
4 July 1858
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (20)
Summary:
Believes that, in Dicentra, Fumaria and Corydalis, flower structures are related directly to visits from bees. Flower stigmas generally are placed in the path of bees.
Has received paper from Wallace on natural selection; has sent abstract of his notions, with Wallace’s paper, to Linnean Society.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
11 Aug [1858]
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (42 and 9a)
Summary:
Species migration since the Pliocene. Effect of the glacial epoch. Present geographical distribution, especially similarities of mountain floras, explained by such migration; mountain summits as remnants of a once continuous flora and fauna.
Cross-fertilisation in Fumariaceae.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
18 October 1858
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
18 Nov [1858]
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (19)
Summary:
Wishes to know whether differences in constitution (such as disease susceptibility) are related to differences in complexion. "Liability to such a disease as yellow fever would answer my question in the best possible way."
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
6 January 1859
Source of text:
JDH/2/22/1/1 f.14-15, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
JDH hopes Asa Gray continues his U.S. EXPLORING EXPEDITION publication. JDH is studying the flora of Fiji, Tahiti & the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii] & working on a preliminary essay to FLORA TASMANIAE. He is trying to trace the extent of Australian flora in the Pacific: it goes as far as New Zealand, Norfolk Islands, New Caledonia & the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] but no further, the flora of Fiji is more Indian. Possibly the explanation lies in differing geology. He thinks that an ancient Southern Continent must be the origin of the Australian flora & explanation for there being South African types in South West Australia & Polynesian species on the East coast of the continent. Discusses evidence of type persistence in Australia: Miocene era Banksia ericifolia preserved in lava beds in Victoria, & fossil Casuarina cones from Bass Straits. However, he also has an Araucaria excelsa cone from oolite in England. He concludes that geographical ranges have changed & the old theory of absolute creation is disproved & he will work to more modern hypotheses [Darwin's natural selection] without accepting them as doctrine. It must be accepted that the formation of land & sea has changed as agents of migration such as animals, wind & currents cannot account for current species distribution. He lists his five starting hypotheses to explain distribution of species, including the evolution of new species by selection & effects of land movement. Also, enumerates how this agrees with the expected fact of evolution of species from an aboriginal condition, including the existence of greater numbers of distinct species on remote islands & the great biodiversity of the southern temperate zone considering there is so little land compared to the North. JDH wrote these thoughts at Lord Wrottesley's, he has now returned to Kew & paid Thomson's[?] debt to [William Henry?] Harvey. JDH is shocked by Alphonse de Candolle begging to be made a Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society. [Letter incomplete]
Contributor:
Hooker Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
10 February 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
16 April 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium of Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
16 May 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
17 June 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
13 July 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
11 Nov [1859]
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (17)
Summary:
Sends copy of Origin for comments.
Does not feel AG’s views of migration after the last glaciation explain distribution in U. S. as well as CD’s view of migration prior to glaciation.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Ferdinand von Mueller
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
17 November 1859
Source of text:
Gray Herbarium Archives, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
21 Dec [1859]
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (16)
Summary:
Would welcome American edition of Origin.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
24 Dec [1859]
Source of text:
Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (46)
Summary:
Thanks for AG’s Japan memoir [Mem. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1857–9): 377–452]. Does not think AG’s arguments for a warm post-glacial period are sufficient, but will not be sorry to be proved wrong.
Believes natural selection explains many classes of facts which repeated creation does not.
Writes of some responses to the Origin.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project