Ɛpsilon

To J. D. Hooker   17 October [1879]1

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

Oct 17th.—

My dear Hooker

I thank you heartily for your most kind congratulations about Horace, which rejoices us deeply.2

I happened to know of the reference to the work on Heliotropism in, I think, Olivers hand-writing.3 But I write now for the chance of your having any or all of the 3 kind of seeds, on next page: I want much to see how the seedlings, which are so peculiar break through the ground.—

Ever yours | Ch. Darwin

Delphinium nudicaule

Ipomœa leptophylla

Megarrhiza Californica

(These plants are mentioned by Asa Gray in New Edit of Bot. Text-Book p. 21, 22)4

Do not write if you have not the seeds

1
The year is established by the allusion to Horace Darwin’s engagement, which was made public in October 1879 (letter from T. H. Farrer, 12 October 1879).
3
Hooker’s letter has not been found, and the work on heliotropism has not been identified. Oliver: Daniel Oliver.
4
Delphinium nudicaule is red larkspur; Ipomoea leptophylla is the bush morning-glory; Megarrhiza californica is a synonym of Marah fabacea, the California manroot. Gray had pointed out that the cotyledons of these three species developed in an unusual way (A. Gray 1879, pp. 20–2). See also Movement in plants, pp. 80–4.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

4.1 Delphinium] ‘h’ interl
8.1 Do … seeds] on verso, pencil

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12261,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12261