To J. D. Hooker   1 November [1861]

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Nov 1st

My dear Hooker

One line to beg you to look at Dendrobium macrophyllum(?) (this was sent me as D. chrysanthum) & tell me whether the Labellum is at all on upper or lower side of column with respect to the ground.—1 Labellum embraces column, of course I mean place of attachment.2 This point is of highest importance with respect to mechanism of flower.— I have been writing to Lindley on subject;3 if you can do pray observe this—

If Bolbophyllum in fine weather has Labellum a little apart from column & when touched closes up against Column, I can well understand use of movement; could you ascertain this.—4

It is no use attempting to thank you for all your extraordinary kindness.

Post going | C. D.

I have looked at the Dendrobium & the contrivance is most remarkable & well deserves proving.—

I have no Cypripedium in spirits for Ducts & it would be I fear very difficult.—

Endorsement: ‘/61.’

1
Dendrobium macrophyllum is not mentioned in Orchids, but D. chrysanthum is discussed (Orchids, pp. 172–8). CD thanked Sigismund Rucker for sending him specimens of Dendrobium in ibid., p. 158 n.
2
This sentence was written on the page opposite the letter text, with a line pointing to its proper location in the text.
4
CD examined four species of Bolbophyllum, which are briefly described in Orchids, pp. 169–72. He was particularly interested in whether or not the labellum of Bolbophyllum was irritable (ibid., p. 172).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.3 Labellum … attachment. 1.4 ] added
2.2 Column,] ‘C’ over ‘L’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-3304,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-3304