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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Fritz Müller1   9 and 10 August 1881

Blumenau, Sa. Catharina, Brazil,

9. August 1881.

Verehrter Herr!

Vor einigen Tagen empfing ich Ihren freundlichen Brief vom 21. Juni, und mit diesem Brief schicke ich Ihnen Samen von Oxalis sepium; sie stammen von zwei Pflanzen, die dicht beieinander in meinem Garten wachsen; die eine ist langgrifflig, die andere mittelgrifflig, so dass vielleicht unter den Sämlingen keine kurzgriffligen sein werden.2 Ausser den verschiedenen Arten von Oxalis gibt es hier sehr wenige krautartige verschiedengrifflige Pflanzen, doch hoffe ich bald Ihnen Samen von Coccocypselum senden zu können. Auch lege ich einige Samen von Dalbergia bei; dies ist eine von jenen Kletterpflanzen, welche die Stütze mit ihren nicht umgewandelten Aesten erfassen.…..3

Ich weiss nicht, wer dem Dr. B. erzählt haben mag, ich hätte viele Bücher bei unserem letzten Hochwasser verloren; ich habe alle gerettet. Nur eine Bücherreihe ist nass geworden, weil ich sie an ihrer Stelle hatte stehen lassen, als ich mein Haus verlassen musste; ich hielt es auch da noch für unmöglich, dass das Wasser sie erreichen könnte. Hätte ich irgend welchen grossen Verlust erlitten, so würde ich ohne Zögern Ihr grossmüthiges Anerbieten annehmen, für das ich Ihnen tief verpflichtet bin.4

We have had last week some rather cold nights (2o to 3o C. at sunrise), and these have given me a new confirmation of your view on the meaning of the nyctitropic movements of plants.5 Near my house there are some Pandanus trees, about a dozen years old; the youngest terminal leaves stand upright, whereas the older ones are bent down so as to expose their upper surfaces to the sky. These young leaves, though of course the most tender, are still as fresh and green as before; on the contrary, the older ones have suffered from the cold, and have become quite yellowish.6 Again, the leaves of Oxalis sepium were observed by me to sleep in a very imperfect manner during the summer, even after the most sunny days; but now, in winter, every leaflet hangs down in a perpendicular position during the whole night.

10. August. Grade jetzt empfing ich Ihren Brief vom 4. Juli, und es freut mich, dass meine Bemerkungen über die Stellung der Blätter verschiedener Pflanzen während des Regens Ihnen von einigem Interesse sind.7 Von den Blättern, die ich grade untersucht habe, wurden diejenigen der folgenden Pflanzen durch kurzes Untertauchen nicht benetzt, sondern glänzten wie Silber unter dem Wasser: Oxalis sepium und einige andere Arten, Desmodium (2 Arten), Cassia (2 Arten), Acacia, Phyllanthus (die beiden in meinem letzten Brief erwähnten Arten und Ph. compressus), Cissampelos Pareira.8 Schizolobium9 habe ich noch nicht untersucht, da die in meinem Garten befindliche Pflanze vor einigen Wochen abgehauen ist, weil sie zu üppig wuchs. Aber ich werde diese Pflanze auch bald untersuchen können.

Glauben Sie, werther Herr, dass ich bin mit grösster Hochachtung immer treulichst der Ihrige | Fritz Müller.

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I. According to Alfred Möller, all Fritz Müller’s letters to CD were written in English (see Möller ed. 1915–21, 2: 72 n.); most of them have not been found. Many of the letters were later sent by Francis Darwin to Möller, who translated them into German for his Fritz Müller: Werke, Briefe und Leben (Möller ed. 1915–21). Möller also found final drafts of some Müller letters among the Fritz Müller papers and included these in their original English form (ibid. 2: 72 n). Where the original English versions are missing, the published version, usually appearing in German translation, has been used. This letter appeared in full in German translation (ibid. 2: 416–17); one paragraph from the letter was quoted by CD in his letter to Nature, [before 15 September 1881], and has been given in the English of the printed source.
See letter to Fritz Müller, 21 June 1881; CD mentioned that he wanted to test the degree of infertility in illegitimate seedlings. No record of experiments of this nature has been found, but CD’s notes on his experiments with plants of Oxalis sepium, dated between 12 September and 28 October 1881, are in DAR 67: 93. The experiments related to CD’s study of the effects of dripping water on the leaves.
Müller had sent CD dried flowers of an unidentified species of Coccocypselum in 1867 (see Correspondence vol. 15, letter from Fritz Müller, 2 June 1867). CD described them in Forms of flowers, pp. 133–4. In Climbing plants, p. 22, CD had reported that some Dalbergia species ascended thick trees by twining, but Müller informed CD that species he had observed were branch-climbers (see Correspondence vol. 13, letter from Fritz Müller, 5 November 1865).
See letter to Fritz Müller, 21 June 1881 and nn. 4 and 5. Wilhelm Breitenbach was living at Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost province of Brazil. Müller’s home was in the adjacent Santa Catarina province, to the north.
In Movement in plants, p. 560, CD concluded that the purpose of nyctitropic (sleep) movement was to protect the leaf blade from damage from radiation or loss of heat.
Pandanus is the genus of screw pine or pandan palm; although native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, some species have been introduced to similar regions of North and South America. Branches produce crowns of sword-shaped leaves.
See letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881; CD had described Müller’s letter as ‘invaluable’.
Müller had evidently sent CD seeds with his letter of 31 May 1881; these were received by early July (see letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881) and probably included the species mentioned here. Desmodium is the genus of tick clover; both Desmodium and Cassia are in the family Fabaceae. CD’s notes about dripping water on Desmodium, dated 17 May and between 21 and 25 August 1881, are in DAR 67: 65, 104–6. Notes on Cassia floribunda (a synonym of Senna floribunda), dated between 26 July and 28 October 1881, are in DAR 67: 78–9. Notes on Acacia lophantha (a synonym of Paraserianthes lophantha, plume albizia), dated between 8 July 1881 and 19 February 1882, are in DAR 67: 71, 111. For his earlier mention of Phyllanthus species, see letter from Fritz Müller, 31 May 1881. CD’s notes on Phyllanthus consanguineus and P. compressus, dated between 9 July and 3 September 1881, are in DAR 67: 66–7, 70, 72–3, 80–1, 110. Cissampelos pareira is velvetleaf; no notes by CD on this species have been found.
On Schizolobium, see letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881 and n. 4.

Bibliography

Climbing plants: On the movements and habits of climbing plants. By Charles Darwin. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green; Williams & Norgate. 1865.

Forms of flowers: The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1877.

Möller, Alfred, ed. 1915–21. Fritz Müller. Werke, Briefe und Leben. 3 vols in 5. Jena: Gustav Fischer.

Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.

Translation

From Fritz Müller1   9 and 10 August 1881

Blumenau, Sa. Catharina, Brazil,

9. August 1881.

Esteemed Sir!

A few days ago I received your kind letter of 21 June, and I am sending you seeds of Oxalis sepium with this letter; they are from two plants that grow close together in my garden; one of them is long-styled, the other medium-styled, so that perhaps there may be no short-styled ones among the seedlings.2 Except for the various kinds of Oxalis very few herbaceous heterostylous plants can be found here, but soon I hope to be able to send you seeds of Coccocypselum. I also enclose a number of seeds of Dalbergia; this is one of those climbing plants which grasp the support with their unmodified branches......3

I do not know who may have told Dr B. that I lost a lot of books in our recent floods; I saved all of them. Only one row of books became wet because I left it in its place when I had to leave the house; even then I thought it impossible that the water could reach them. If I had suffered great losses of any kind, I would accept your generous offer without hesitation, for which I am profoundly indebted to you.4

We have had last week some rather cold nights (2o to 3o C. at sunrise), and these have given me a new confirmation of your view on the meaning of the nyctitropic movements of plants.5 Near my house there are some Pandanus trees, about a dozen years old; the youngest terminal leaves stand upright, whereas the older ones are bent down so as to expose their upper surfaces to the sky. These young leaves, though of course the most tender, are still as fresh and green as before; on the contrary, the older ones have suffered from the cold, and have become quite yellowish.6 Again, the leaves of Oxalis sepium were observed by me to sleep in a very imperfect manner during the summer, even after the most sunny days; but now, in winter, every leaflet hangs down in a perpendicular position during the whole night.

10 August. Just now I received your letter of 4 July, and I am pleased that my remarks on the position of the leaves of various plants during rain are of some interest to you.7 Of the leaves that I have studied just now, those of the following plants were not wet after being briefly dipped into water, but glistened like silver under the water: Oxalis sepium and a few other species, Desmodium (2 species), Cassia (2 species), Acacia, Phyllanthus (the two species mentioned in my previous letter and Ph. compressus), Cissampelos Pareira.8 Schizolobium9 I have not yet investigated, as the plant in my garden was cut back a few weeks ago because it grew too thickly. However, I will soon be able to examine this plant as well.

Believe me, dear Sir, I am with the deepest respect, always very truly yours | Fritz Müller.

Footnotes

For a transcription of the original German of the published source of this letter, see Transcript. According to Alfred Möller, all Fritz Müller’s letters to CD were written in English (see Möller ed. 1915–21, 2: 72 n.); most of them have not been found. Many of the letters were later sent by Francis Darwin to Möller, who translated them into German for his Fritz Müller: Werke, Briefe und Leben (Möller ed. 1915–21). Möller also found final drafts of some Müller letters among the Fritz Müller papers and included these in their original English form (ibid. 2: 72 n). Where the original English versions are missing, the published version, usually appearing in German translation, has been used. This letter appeared in full in German translation (ibid. 2: 416–17); one paragraph from the letter was quoted by CD in his letter to Nature, [before 15 September 1881], and has been given in the English of the printed source.
See letter to Fritz Müller, 21 June 1881; CD mentioned that he wanted to test the degree of infertility in illegitimate seedlings. No record of experiments of this nature has been found, but CD’s notes on his experiments with plants of Oxalis sepium, dated between 12 September and 28 October 1881, are in DAR 67: 93. The experiments related to CD’s study of the effects of dripping water on the leaves.
Müller had sent CD dried flowers of an unidentified species of Coccocypselum in 1867 (see Correspondence vol. 15, letter from Fritz Müller, 2 June 1867). CD described them in Forms of flowers, pp. 133–4. In Climbing plants, p. 22, CD had reported that some Dalbergia species ascended thick trees by twining, but Müller informed CD that species he had observed were branch-climbers (see Correspondence vol. 13, letter from Fritz Müller, 5 November 1865).
See letter to Fritz Müller, 21 June 1881 and nn. 4 and 5. Wilhelm Breitenbach was living at Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost province of Brazil. Müller’s home was in the adjacent Santa Catarina province, to the north.
In Movement in plants, p. 560, CD concluded that the purpose of nyctitropic (sleep) movement was to protect the leaf blade from damage from radiation or loss of heat.
Pandanus is the genus of screw pine or pandan palm; although native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Oceania, some species have been introduced to similar regions of North and South America. Branches produce crowns of sword-shaped leaves.
See letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881; CD had described Müller’s letter as ‘invaluable’.
Müller had evidently sent CD seeds with his letter of 31 May 1881; these were received by early July (see letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881) and probably included the species mentioned here. Desmodium is the genus of tick clover; both Desmodium and Cassia are in the family Fabaceae. CD’s notes about dripping water on Desmodium, dated 17 May and between 21 and 25 August 1881, are in DAR 67: 65, 104–6. Notes on Cassia floribunda (a synonym of Senna floribunda), dated between 26 July and 28 October 1881, are in DAR 67: 78–9. Notes on Acacia lophantha (a synonym of Paraserianthes lophantha, plume albizia), dated between 8 July 1881 and 19 February 1882, are in DAR 67: 71, 111. For his earlier mention of Phyllanthus species, see letter from Fritz Müller, 31 May 1881. CD’s notes on Phyllanthus consanguineus and P. compressus, dated between 9 July and 3 September 1881, are in DAR 67: 66–7, 70, 72–3, 80–1, 110. Cissampelos pareira is velvetleaf; no notes by CD on this species have been found.
On Schizolobium, see letter to Fritz Müller, 4 July 1881 and n. 4.

Bibliography

Climbing plants: On the movements and habits of climbing plants. By Charles Darwin. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green; Williams & Norgate. 1865.

Forms of flowers: The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1877.

Möller, Alfred, ed. 1915–21. Fritz Müller. Werke, Briefe und Leben. 3 vols in 5. Jena: Gustav Fischer.

Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.

Summary

Thanks CD for his letter of 21 June [13212].

Is sending seeds of Oxalis sepium, which came from a cross between a plant with long pistils and another with pistils intermediate in length. Perhaps some of the plants that come from them will have short pistils.

FM does not know who told Dr B [Wilhelm Breitenbach] that he had lost a whole library in the flood. In fact, he lost only a few books that he had left behind thinking they were safe where they were.

Has taken the opportunity of a recent cold spell to test CD’s views on nyctitropism [night movements] in plants. Describes Pandanus and Oxalis sepium.

Has just received CD’s letter of 4 July and he is glad that his observations on the effects of rain on plants interested CD.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-13284A
From
Johann Friedrich Theodor (Fritz) Müller
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Blumenau, Santa Catharina, Brazil
Source of text
Möller ed. 1915–21, 2: 416–17; Nature, 15 September 1881, p. 459

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13284A,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13284A.xml

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