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July 16' 1861. Torquay (Wild Thyme)

abounds — much of both forms — some days I concluded much of one & the next day of other form; hence probably equal — It is certain that large beds of one form often grow together— probably have spread from simple seedling — Occasionally 2 forms growing close together.—

I have just examined pistils of fully expanded flowers — that of female seem to have the broader border of stigma colourless & more lax.—

In the males the stamens stand far out of flower.— In filament do not ascend close above tube of corolla — & in one several flowers — just examined the corolla were exclusively rudimentary; being scarcely larger literally not in diameter than the filament, — with no part free, except the exclusively rudimentary representative of the anther.— group of a mere little empty cells.

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I have examined 2 buds, just before opening; taking the male bud rather in advance, & I find in this that the cells to say tip of an stigma are filled with pink substance — whereas in female plant the cells are colourless & empty & whole tissue more lax in stigma — Hence I may trust to this difference in stigma of wild & garden plants.

I feel almost certain in garden Thyme I have seen anther more fully developed.—

I have examined some more anthers; those described this morning are colourless — attached filament attached close to anther & anther not divided into 2 regular cells — anther sets had filament from short space free, anthers brown, with

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perfect shape of 2 cells — together twice diameter of filament — So illustrative of "variability of abortive organs" — but I have never seen trace of a gr pollen.— Odd pistil not shortened.

In Holly pistil is shortened; & anther not so rudimentary as in Thyme.—

Pistil variable in Holly.—

(In some garden Thyme Bentham says a distinct species I found anthers relatively rather larger & more filament more free. The garden browning of anthers above mentioned is only early [illeg] — In some variegated Thyme, the stem anther projected very slightly above mouth of corolla, so as to be much larger & much freer than is the wild.

I find a garden Lemon Thyme with rather fleshy oval leaves, (clearly distinct species) with anther of same general character. / over

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In the variegated Thyme I examined with high power anther no trace of pollen.— The 2 pairs of stamens in these flowers were of very unequal height. — Garden I may say stamens more developed in garden Thyme than in our wild species; but variable in both species —

Bentham [illeg] [illeg] in [illeg] of character to the state of stamens as generic character

July 20' — This day I attended carefully is now cut to proportion. I had before oscillated in opinion, but leaned to Hermaphrodite [illeg] so to day I examined about 200 yards of bank, looking at every plant 12 were female & all the rest, which must have exceeded some [illeg] were all hermaphrodite — These grew on low [illeg] shelf.— I then went to a bank

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which was actually matted into Thyme, so as to appear purple 1/2 mile off I examined space of about 6 yards square, & found all hermaphrodite — I then looked casually over much larger space & could find not one female. so [illeg] has something to do with it, but as generic character must be of subordinate importance.— N.B. I found the female plants have certainly smaller corolla — I tested it by walking quickly along & after a little practice, very seldom, but certain, did, make a mistake. The female plant likewise are much less thickly covered with flowers from the male of flowers already set with pods— I found however many seeds by opening the hermaphrodite flowers — apparently good & swelling — saw female wild Thyme with radiating anther projects from mouth of corolla

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July 23 Elizabeth sent me some Thyme

T. vulgaris from S. of France female with radiating anther

T. serpyllum from S. of France seedlings all males.

July 26' though the Female plants are generally found on dry little cliffs & the Hermaphrodite in shor smooth surface. (I am more sure of excess of Hermaphr.) yet I have seen both forms often growing near each other on exactly same station or site.—

After immense searching I found a plant with stamens just projecting beyond corolla but not so far as in Hermaphrodite including a few grains of full-sized & apparently good (under compared/pollen & a multitude of very minute & transparent grains.— These anthers had opened properly. White in gradation!

Garden Thyme shows not condition alone, & being generic character—