To Bingham Sibthorpe Malden 15–16 June [1861]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
June 15th
Dear Sir
I really hardly know how to thank you sufficiently for the Box of Orchids received this morning: they came beautifully fresh.—2
I felt an almost boyish delight at the H. viridis, for I thought that I shd. never see it.— By the way it ought not to be ranked with Habenaria.—3
Now I have seen & carefully every British orchid, which anyone can hope to see, except the Lizard, which I still hope either from your or Mr Oxenden’s kindness to see.4 And I will soon begin & write my paper.—5
I was, also, very glad to see the noble specimens of Aceras;6 but these had not the little & curious monstrous flowers; & it must have been a strange chance that 5 out of six specimens sent me by Mr Oxenden were thus furnished. These little monstrous flowers illustrate structure of Habenaria. If in your wallks you meet Aceras look for little monstrous flowers7 The old spec. of O. fusca were also very useful; as they confirmed what I observed in Mr. Oxenden’s specimens that insects seldom visit this species & in consequence it seldom seeds.—
I know little of Botany, but it seemed to me that the fine purple orchids, with leaves not spotted & with hollow stems were O. latifolia (which I once saw) & the white ones O. maculata Would you have the kindness to tell me whether this is the case?
I was, also, glad to examine the state of pollen-masses of your Canterbury Fly ophrys.8 In short, owing to your great kindness, I had a most interesting morning’s work. If convenient to you, will you have a look at the pollen-masses of the Bee O. & especially of the var. arachnites to see whether any are removed in oldish flowers, or whether all (as here) have fallen on their own stigmas.9
With cordial thanks, pray believe me— yours sincerely | C. Darwin
If not thrown away will you kindly return me some time the slip from G. Chronicle.—10
June 16th P.S. I have just received & thank you for your note.11 About the Lizard shall be private.— I thought O. militaris == O. fusca.—
Footnotes
Bibliography
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Summary
Thanks BSM for orchid specimens. Discusses various species of Orchis and Ophrys.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3183
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Bingham Sibthorpe Malden
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.254)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3183,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3183.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 9