Ɛpsilon

From Asa Gray   11 October [1868]1

Herbarium Kew

11, Oct.

Dear Darwin

It is sad to think of, that I should be weeks in England without setting eyes upon you, But the time that Hooker tells me is fixed is most convenient every way for our visit,—and we are as busy and happy as the day is long.2

This is to ask you if you raised this year and have any seeds of Passiflora gracilis that you would send by post to

Rev. R. W. Church3

Whatley, Frome

Somersetshire.—

to whom I have just sent your Climbing Plants paper.4

If you have not, please send this on to Mr Wm Thompson, Ipswich,5 who will I know kindly send a few, if not now, yet before they will be wanted.

Ever Yours | A. Gray

1
The year is established by the reference to the visit to Down House (see n. 2, below).
2
Gray and his wife, Jane Loring, arrived in England in early September. They visited Down with Joseph Dalton Hooker and his family, beginning 24 October 1868 (see letter from J. D. Hooker, 5 September 1868 and n. 12).
3
Passiflora gracilis is annual passionflower. Richard William Church.
4
The reference is to ‘Climbing plants’.
5
William Thompson owned a nursery in Ipswich.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6931,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6931