From G. C. Oxenden 21 July 1871
Dear Sir
Tomorrow (Saturday) I will select a Plant of “Ophrys Apifera” (var: lutea)1 & send it to you, with a good Ball of Earth—in the hope that it may survive the process—
—I will try & get One of which the flowers are not entirely Overblown—so that the traces of the Component colours shall still be evident—
—But, in any case, rely upon it, the Plants sent shall be of this curious Variety, & not common O. Apifera—
—As to soil, (or rather a Matrix for the Soil they will bring with them,) light loam of Upland Pastures suits their habits well—
—As to common O. Apifera, when carefully protectedthroughout its existence, it attains with me even to 22 inches in height—but with no encrease of size in the flower, merely a slight darkening & depth in the purple portions—
Your’s most truly | G. Chichester Oxenden—
Broome | nr. Canterbury
July 21. 1871
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
Will send Ophrys apifera var. lutea.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7876
- From
- George Chichester Oxenden
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Broome, Canterbury
- Source of text
- DAR 173: 68
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7876,” accessed on 23 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7876.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19