Ɛpsilon

From W. E. Darwin   [23 June 1866]1

Southampton

Saturday

My dear Father,

I will go over to Isle of W on Tuesday & mark the females. I suppose it would not do to cut slips at present.2

Both the males have entirely abortive ovules, and both the females incomplete stamens:3

Do you want a slip of all 4 kinds? I cannot understand how they got called polygamous.4

I am sorry to hear Mama is laid up5

Your affect son | W. E. Darwin

CD annotations

2.1 Both … ovules] scored red crayon
3.1 of all 4 kinds?] scored red crayon
1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. E. Darwin, 22 June [1866], and by the reference to Emma Darwin’s poor health (see n. 5, below). In 1866, 23 June was a Saturday.
2
In his letter of 22 June [1866], CD had indicated that William should mark the four flower forms of Rhamnus cathartica on the Isle of Wight, in order to take cuttings in autumn.
5
Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242) records a ‘feverish attack’ on 21 June 1866.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4962,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4962