Darwin Correspondence Project

Kew. W.

25th. IX/60

Dear Sir,

My results so far with pure gum quite support your opinion. Yesterdy. morng. 9.25. a drop was put on a leaf of D. spathulata (a leaf of wh. I enclose)    at 2.10 P.M. no marked change,—proby. some inflection of inner glands,—but the marginal patent or recurved. 5.55. do. this day (Tuesdy.) 8.56 AM & 5.48 P.M. No material change as yet. The plant looks unhealthy.

Another drop was placed on a leaf of D rotundifolia? 2.13. P.M. (Yestery.)— No marked result this eveng.

I must try the old gum again. I have not burnt it yet. Besides Im not sure if we used it (the new) in equally strong solution. I intend still trying it.

We have another Drosera    I dont know the species,—(I understand Australian) with narrow linear leaves    Its rate of incurving some days ago over a fly was as follows

I quite look to working up one or two spinous Floras    I think of, as one, the Flora (Florula!) of Aden upon wh. Dr. Anderson is just now engaged here. It is to appear in a supplt. to the Linn: Journal    It is a very spiny Flora. Then Delile, for Egypt. perhaps Kelaart, for Gibraltar. Munby's list for Algeria— No. West India.—& Some part of Tropical Australia or Mexico would be important. To contrast I would take our own Flora,—that of Arctic circle (easy)—upon wh. Dr. H. has much material for the Linn Trans. (it will not appear tho` I doubt till towds. close of next year)—V. Diemen's Land. (J.D.H.)    So. United States (Chapman). Before setting seriously to work upon it I should like to complete a little task I have in hand among the Aurantiaceae wh. I am trying (apart from Citrus) to rearrange.—

The various sorts of spinosity ought to be separately tabulated,—whether true spines,—epidermal (prickles) & leaf appendages,—hardwd. bracts, &c    Often it will be difficult to draw the line between spinose & spineless species,—as among Thistles, Dipsacus, &c. &c.

Apropos of Drosera see a footnote in Dr. Bromfield's 'Flora Vectensis` p. 56—``The glands x x x x curving eventually over the flies x x x ensnared by their clammy exudation, but never, so far as I could observe, assisting primarily in their capture by any sudden contraction as in Dionæa muscipula''

I put a bit of paper in daubed with old gum,—   I did not perceive animal odour on burning a piece.

Very faithfully yours | Danl. Oliver. Jr

I doubt if we get good seed this autumn from over 3 or 4 of the isosceles beds!