From R. I. Lynch   [before 28 July 1877]1

Mem

Averrhoa Bilimbi

I once found the leaflets in V position above the rachis. after which they placed themselves horizontally and remained at rest.2

I have looked repeatedly for the same appearance but since without success.

If I remember rightly the sun shone intensely at the time and directly on the plant—in the morning

AmemS

CD annotations

2.1 interest.] before ‘Movt of Leaves’ red crayon
3.1 are depressed … so slowly 3.2] ‘& Desmodium’ in margin, red crayon
1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the first letter from R. I. Lynch, [before 28 July 1877]. The first letter contains more information on the phenomenon described here, so this letter is most likely the second to have been sent.
2
Lynch made more detailed observations on sensitiveness of leaves of Averrhoa bilimbi (the bilimbi or cucumber tree) in his first letter of [before 28 July 1877]. The rachis is the axis of a pinnate leaf.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11118,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11118