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Letter 7004

Henslow, George to Darwin, C. R.

22 Nov 1869

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    Observations on fertilisation of Lapageria rosea by E. G. Henderson, florist of St John's Wood.

Transcription

St John's Parsonage | St John's Wood

Nov. 22 /69

Dear Sir

Mr Henderson Junr. florist of S. Johns wood informed me that Lapageria rosea never sets seed unless artificially impregnated. The anthers cluster round the stigma & cover it with pollen; but it appears, from his account, to be powerless on the stigma of the same flower. I should be glad to know if this has been noticed by yrself or others. If not, it would seem to be another case analogous to Linum Grandifolium Passiflora sp. & other well known instances.

Yrs truly | G Henslow

    Footnotes Add

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    f1 7004.f1
    The reference is probably to Andrew Henderson of Henderson & Son, nurserymen, 3 Wellington Road NW (Post Office London directory 1869, and R. Desmond 1994). Joseph Dalton Hooker had advised CD to obtain Lapageria rosea, the Chilean bellflower, from this nursery in his letter of 9 [March] 1864 (Correspondence vol. 12).
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    f2 7004.f2
    CD described self-sterility in Linum in `Two forms in species of Linum'. For self-sterility in Passiflora, see Scott 1864, Munro 1868, and Correspondence vols. 10 and 11. Linum grandifolium is an error for Linum grandiflorum.
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