To Daniel Oliver   [12 April 1863]¹

Dear Oliver

It is a shame to trouble, but will you tell me whether ovule of Primula is “anatropal” nearly as figured by Gray p. 123 Lessons of Botany.—or rather more tending to “amphitropal”.—² I never looked at such a point before. Why I am curious to know is because I put pollen into ovarium of monstrous Primroses, & now after 16 days, & not before, (the length of time agrees with slowness of natural impregnation) I find abundance of pollen-tubes emitted, which cling firmly to ovules & I think I may confidently state penetrate the ovule; but here is odd thing   they never once enter at (what I suppose to be) the “orifice” but generally at c the chalaza, when they fall.—³

Do you know how pollen-tubes go naturally in Primula? do they run down walls of ovarium & then turn up the placenta & so debouch near the “orifices” of ovules?

If you thought it worth while to examine ovules, I would see if there are more monstrous flowers & put pollen into ovarium & send you the flowers in 14 or 15 days afterwards. But it is rather troublesome, I would not do it unless you cared to examine the ovules. Like a foolish & idle man I have wasted a whole morning over them.—

When does Hooker return?⁴

Yours most sincerely | C. Darwin

One line in answer would suffice—

In 2 ovules there was an odd appearance as if the outer coat of ovule at the chalaza end (if I understand the ovule) had naturally opened, or withered, where most of the pollen tubes seemed to penetrate which made me at first think this was a widely open foramen.⁵ I wonder whether the ovules would could be thus fertilised!