To Gardeners’ Chronicle [4–5 June 1860]
Summary
Wants to hear from readers about the way in which the bee-orchid (Ophrys apifera) is fertilised. He has always found it to be self-fertilised but greatly doubts that the flowers of any plant are fertilised for generations by their own pollen. The bee-orchid has sticky glands, which would make it adapted for fertilisation by insects; this makes him want to hear what happens to its pollen-masses in places he has not observed.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
| Date: | [4 or 5] June 1860 |
| Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 9 June 1860, p. 528 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2826 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … Fly Orchis is tolerably common, if he will have the kindness to make a few simple observations on their manner of fertilisation. To render the subject clear to those who know nothing of botany, I must briefly describe what takes place in our common British Orchids. …
- … fly orchis ( O. muscifera ) are only found on chalky soil like that in the vicinity of Down. This experiment is recorded in CD’s Experimental book, p. 59 (DAR 157a). Orchis morio (a synonym of Anacamptis morio , the green-wing orchid) …
- … Fly Orchis ( Ophrys muscifera ), the pollen-masses, furnished with sticky glands, do not naturally fall out of their pouches, nor can they be shaken out; so that insect-agency is necessary, as with the species of the other genera, for their fertilisation. But insects here do their work far less effectually than with common Orchids; …
- … Fly Orchis in other districts; for it seems a strange fact that a plant should grow pretty well, as it does in this part of Kent, and yet during several years seldom be fertilised. We now come to the Bee Orchis ( Ophrys apifera ), which presents a very different case; the pollen masses are furnished with sticky glands, but differently from in all the foregoing Orchids, …
- … Orchids are so manifest? Are we to conclude that this one species is provided with these organs for no use? I cannot think so; but would rather infer that, during some years or in some other districts, insects do visit the Bee Orchis and occasionally transport pollen from one flower to another, and thus give it the advantage of an occasional cross. We have seen that the Fly …
To J. D. Hooker 7 August [1860]
Summary
Owen wants to be civil, and sneer behind CD’s back.
Those, like Rudolph Wagner, who want to go halfway on theory, are "booked to go further".
Anatomy of orchids.
Huxley says K. E. von Baer goes "a great way with me".
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
| Date: | 7 Aug [1860] |
| Classmark: | DAR 115: 72 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2892 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … flies by their proboscis . I must try & get this plant to observe it, with respect to intercrossing. — Please answer this sometime On reflexion I fear the Catasetum do not grow in pots & would not bear even for short time temperature of sitting room & would be too precious to lend me. — Could I buy any Green-house orchids …
Document type
| letter | (2) |
Author
| Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
Addressee
| Gardeners’ Chronicle | (1) |
| Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
Correspondent
| Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
| Gardeners’ Chronicle | (1) |
| Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
