To D. F. Nevill   3 September 1874

Down, Beckenham, Kent

3rd September 1874

Dear Lady Dorothy Nevill,—

I am much obliged for your Ladyship’s extremely kind letter.1 I have nearly finished my work on Dionea, and though a fine specimen would have been of much use to me, I shall manage pretty well with some poor plants which I have.

“I have never seen Drosera dichotoma, and should much like to make a cursory examination of it.2 Will you be so good as to tell your gardener3 to address it to

C. Darwin, Orpington Station, S.E.R.

To be forwarded immediately by a foot messenger

I will return the plant as soon as my observations are finished, and I hope it will not be injured.

I have so often heard of the beauty of the gardens of Dangstein, that I should much enjoy seeing them; but the state of my health prevents me going anywhere.

Pray believe me, your Ladyship’s truly obliged, | Charles Darwin

See letter from D. F. Nevill, 2 September [1874]. CD acknowledged Nevill for providing a specimen of Drosera dichotoma in Insectivorous plants, pp. 281–2. Drosera dichotoma is a synonym of D. binata, the forked-leaf sundew.
Nevill’s head gardener was James Vair.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9624F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9624F