From Thomas Whitelegge   16 May 1878

Dear Sir

It gives me great pleasure to forward you what I believe to be Gyno dioecious Plants of the Ranunuculus acris.¹ I first detected them at Northenden Near Manchester on May 11^th but since I have found them to be very abundant about here. So far as my observation goes at present the same Plant produces none but flowers with reduced Andræceum and corolla which you will see by the specimens inclosed²   I have only seen a few that appear to be intermediate, that is with the anthers partially developed   I have examined some hundreds of the larger flowers but have failed to find any but Hermaphrodites. So far as I can jugde from counting the number of Plants of each sort in about 2 Square yards the Hermaphrodites exceed the female form in proportion of about 3 or 4 to 1. I have marked about a dozen Plants to see if they produce any other but female flowers   I shall also raise some plants from seed to see if the female form produces Hermaphrodites or females only.

Hopeing I am not troubling you to much and that the plants will be acceptable and interesting. I should be much obliged if you could inform me if they have been noticed or decribed anywhere as I dont see the Ranunculaceæ mentioned in your ‘Forms of Flowers’, as containing Gyno dioecious plants—³

Believe Me Yours Truly | Thomas Whitelegg