To George Gordon 17 September [1860]
Down Bromley Kent
Sept. 17th
Dear Sir
I thank you sincerely for your great kindness in sending me the famous lot of Goodyera,1 which arrived in very fair condition, being so excellently packed, & which I have dissected with the greatest interest this morning. The structure of the rostellum is much nearer to that of Epipactis than to that of Spiranthes, though in some degree intermediate between them.2 I beg leave again to give you my cordial thanks.
Dear Sir | Yours truly obliged | Charles Darwin
I enclose the stamps.
P.S | I have just received your most kind note of the 14th. —3 I believe I shall leave home on Saturday for the sea-coast; so I fear I shall hardly receive the fresh specimens, if you send them. Those sent were hardly vigorous enough to act perfectly but I feel morally almost certain that the action is the same as in Epipactis. I have planted the roots in peat in shady place & they may flower next year with me. The contrivances for insect fertilisation in Orchids are multiform & truly wonderful & beautiful.
You have added to your kindness in sending me the specimen by taking so much trouble so freely & pleasantly
Footnotes
Bibliography
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 GG for specimens of Goodyera. The rostellum structure is near to that of Epipactis and CD is almost certain that the action is the same.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2920
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- George Gordon
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Elgin Museum (Gordon Archive 60.14)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2920,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2920.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 8
