To J. D. Hooker [18 May 1862]1
Leith Hill Place
Sunday
My dear old friend.
I cordially thank you for your two letters; & for your answers to all my questions. Leschenaultia seems very odd:2 I will try with pollen left on for 48 hours; for I I am sure I could trace the tubes for some way. It seems to me very curious that anthers should shed the pollen, & then the indusium collect it, ultimately to be removed again & placed on stigma. It is a good illustration of a point which I discuss & endeavour to explain in the orchid-book, namely the diversity of structure, acquired by successive modifications, for same purpose.3 You have pleased me much by what you say in regard to Bentham & Oliver approving of my book;4 for I had got a sort of nervousness & doubted whether I had not made an egregious fool of myself, & concocted pleasant little stinging remarks for Reviews,—such as “Mr Darwin’s head seems to have been turned by a certain degree of success, & he thinks that the most trifling observations are worth publication” &c &c &c &c.—
You say that you have no Goodeniaceæ;5 I suppose this refers to having none to dissect; or did you think that I asked for them? It is any Melastomatads, going into flower & which would stand my greenhouse for a short period, which I am so anxious to experiment on, & which I feel nearly sure will give important results.—6 I fear it will be no satisfaction to you, but upon my soul, I do feel deeply guilty at the degree to which I trouble you; & you never in all your life have given me a rebuf. Now mind do not answer on purpose, but at some time tell me what the enclosed Sikkim R[h]od. is;— it has a reflexed pistil like R. Boothii & secretes nectar within the stamens all round the germen!7 R. Dalhousianum secretes nectar on lower side of flower; so that I do not fear the usual law will hold with respect to bending of pistil & position of nectar.—
We heard from William this morning; he asked me, supposing that you asked him to Kew within a fortnight, whether he might put it off for a week or so, till another Sunday was convenient to you, & I told him that I was sure you would let him do so.—8
Emma sends her love to Mrs. Hooker & desires me to say that she quite forgot to thank Mrs. H. for a very nice photograph.—
Good Bye my dear old fellow | C. Darwin
P.S. Are you rich in Leschenaultia formosa I shd. like to try whether the visid surface outside the indusium can be fertilised; that inside can be in this species be fertilised.—9
Many thanks for Saxifrages.—10
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
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
Leschenaultia seems very odd. Will try with pollen left on for 48 hours. Illustrates diversity of structures for same purpose.
Bentham’s and Oliver’s good opinion of Orchids is reassuring.
Anxious to experiment on Melastomataceae; thinks it will give important results.
Wants Leschenaultia formosa to try whether viscid outside surface can be fertilised.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3558
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- Sent from
- Leith Hill Place
- Source of text
- DAR 115: 154
- Physical description
- ALS 5pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3558,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3558.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10