From John Michels 3 May 1870
10 Castlenau Villas | Barnes. S.W
May 3rd. 1870
Dear Sir,
I have taken the liberty of sending for your inspection some drawings, I have lately made of the Pollen of the Geranium and Honeysuckle—1
I noticed that all the pollen bore a marked likeness to oneanother, but that with both specimens, there were one or two exceptions of so remarkable a character, that they might be taken for the Pollen of another plant—
The number of pollen grains in each specimen, were about 30 to 40. The exceptions shown were the only ones of that type.—
Is it possible that the varieties in the character of seedlings, owe their origen to the particular seeds being impregnated with these exceptional pollen.—
It appears probable that as the pollen is the sexual part of the part,2 and any marked peculiarity would be transmitted to the seed impregnated—
For my drawing, I used one of Smith & Becks instrmts and Object glass.3 They are however enlarged about .
I remain dear Sir | Your obt St | John Michels
C. Darwin Esq | F.RS.
P.S.— I can show the pollen at any time. JM.
Footnotes
Summary
Sends drawings of atypical Geranium and honeysuckle pollen-grains. Would they produce variation in seedlings?
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10495
- From
- John Michels
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Barnes
- Source of text
- DAR 171: 175
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10495,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10495.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 18