Ɛpsilon

To W. T. Thiselton-Dyer   [before 24 August 1877]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

My dear Dyer,

Many thanks for your offer of young Dionæas, but as we have 33 our supply is ample.2 There is however another plant which I should be very glad of viz Cassia mimosoides which might be sent together with the Robinia if it recovers.3 Do you think Mr Lynch would like for me to give him a couple of my books, as it is the only way I can think of to show my obligation to him.4 If so which books do you think I had better send? You can let me know at any future time.

With many thanks | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin

LS

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. T. Thiselton Dyer, [20–4 August 1877].
2
No letter from Thiselton-Dyer offering plants of Dionaea muscipula (Venus fly trap) has been found. In his letter to Thiselton-Dyer of 11 August 1877, CD mentioned having just received thirty plants of Dionaea from Veitch & Sons (a firm of nurserymen).
3
Cassia mimosoides is a synonym of Chamaecrista mimosoides (a species of sensitive pea). Robinia is the genus of locust trees. CD was studying leaf movements in these plants as part of his research for Movement in plants.
4
Richard Irwin Lynch was foreman of the propagation department at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He sent CD several plants and informed him about movements of leaves in Averrhoa bilimbi (see letter from R. I. Lynch, 25 July 1877, and the first and second letters from R. I. Lynch, [before 28 July 1877]).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11085,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11085