RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1856.05.12]. Abstract of Boreau, Flore du centre de la France. CUL-DAR15.2.1-7. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 3.2023. RN2

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR15.2 contains calculations and tables for Darwin's 'big book' Natural Selection F1583.

Darwin recorded reading and abstracting this work in his 'Books Read / Books to be Read' notebook. CUL-DAR128.-.

Boreau, Alexandre. 1840. Flore du centre de la France; ou, description des plantes qui croissent spontanément dans la région centrale de la France. 2 vols. Paris. [Abstract in CUL-DAR71.150-1.]


[1]

[1]

Boreau France

old M. S.

Wrong & useless

17

Boreau. Flore du Centre de la France

vars & very common species.

Old M.S.

Wrong & Useless

Decandolle p 465

 

1

(1

 

Name of genus

 

Having vars. total no of species of those genera having vars

C.C. ie very common no' of species.

Cross means extra species having vars. or extra species very common.

Clematis

 

 

1

 

Thalictrum

x

2

 

 

Anemone

 

 

5

 

Adonis

 

3

 

 

Ranunculus

xxx

21

21

xxxxx

Ficaria

 

1

 

Helleborus

 

 

2

 

Delphinium

 

 

2

 

Geranium

 

10

10

xx

Erodium

 

 

1

 

Malva

 

4

4

x

Hypericum

 

7

7

Linum 1 sp.

Acer

 

3

 

—(1)

Polygala

 

5

5

Aesculus G & Sp

Nymphaea

 

1

 

 

Nuphar

 

 

1

 

Papaver

 

 

5

—Pap. somniferum. without

Chelidonium

 

1

1

 

Fumaria

 

4

4

 

Cheiranthus

 

 

1

 

Nasturtium

x

6

6

xx

Barbarea

 

3

 

 

Cardamine

 

 

5

 

Sisymbrium

 

 

7

xx

Brassica Sinapis

 

4

4

Brassica 4 species

Raphanus

 

 

2

Raphanus sativus

Senebrium

 

 

1

 

Capsella

 

 

1

Lumaria 1

Iberis

 

 

2

 

Thlapsi

 

 

5

 

Draba

 

 

2

 

Reseda

 

3

3

x

Viola

xxx

9

9

xx

Helianthemum

 

9

9

 

Gypsophila

 

 

2

 

Dianthus

 

 

9

Tables from general calculation.

Saponaria

 

 

2

sp. genus

Silene

 

8

8

81 7 & 1

Genera —

(18

103

148

33 Genera

 

 

3

2

 

 

 

100

146

33


 

 

var

C.C

Excluded species & Genera

Lychnis (p. 92)

 

 

6

xxxx

Sagina

 

3

3

 

Holosteum

 

 

1

 

Spergula

 

4

0

 

Stellaria

 

 

6

xxx

Arenaria

 

10

10

x

Cerastium

x

8

8

 

Scleranthus

 

 

2

x

Montia

 

1

0

 

Sedum

x

10

10

x

Sempervirens

 

 

2

 

Saxifraga

 

2

2

 

Ribes

3

3

(1) subtract from genrl calculation  —

Begonia

 

1

 

Epilobium

xx

9

9

Cucurbita G & Sp

Myriophyllum

 

3

3

Cucumis 2 sp. 1 G

Callitriche

 

 

5

 

Ceratophyllum

 

 

2

 

Lythrum

 

 

2

G Amygdalus

Prunus

x

6

6

G Persica

Spiraea

 

 

3

Prun 1 species

Geum

 

 

2

G Rubus 4 spec X

Fragaria

 

 

3

 

Potentilla

 

 

9

xx

Tormentilla

 

1

1

 

Agrimonia

 

1

1

 

Alchemilla

 

 

2

 

Poterium

 

 

1

G Rosa 12 sp X

Crataegus

 

 

3

G. Cydonia

Pyrus

x

3

3

 

Genista

 

 

7

 

Ononis

 

5

5

 

Anthyllis

 

2

0

Medicago 1 sp

Medicago

x

8

8

x Trigonella G & species

Melilotus

 

 

3

Trifolium 1 sp.

Trifolium

xx

22

22

xxxx

Lotus

x

3

3

Glycorrhiza 1 species

Astragalus p. 165

 

 

2

Robinia do

 

 

104 / Gen. 19

159 / Gen 35

For general calculation subtract 10 genera & 36 species

 

2

(2

 

name of Genus

vars   

CC.        

  Excluded Plants

Coronilla (p 165)

 

 

Cicer 1 Gen & spe.

Ervum (169)

 

2

— Ervum 1 spc.

Vicia xx

15

15

x 1 sp.

 

 

 

(Pisum) 1 sp.

Lathyrus —

11

11

x Lathyrus 1 sp.

Ovibus

4

0

 

 

 

 

Phaseolus 1 sp. & Gen

Hedera

 

1

 

─────

 

 

 

Eryngium

 

1

 

 

 

 

Rhus gen & spec

Pimpinella x

2

2

 

Helosciadum

3

3

 

 

 

 

(P[illeg]) 1 sp.

Oenathe

 

5

 

Athura

 

1

 

Sesili

2

2

 

Silaris

 

1

 

 

 

 

(Lauristinus) Genus & 1 sp.

Herodium

 

1

 

Lascipitium

1

0

 

Daucus

 

1

 

[illeg]

 

3

 

Scandix

 

1

 

Anthusium

 

3

 

Chaerophyllum

 

2

 

Conium maculata

 

1

 

/p. 215

 

 

 

─────

 

 

 

Sambucus

3

3

x

Lonicera

3

0

(Lonicera) 1 sp.

Galium xxx

13

13

x

Asperula

 

4

 

 

 

 

(Canthranthus) 1 sp

Sherardia

 

1

 

Valerianella x

5

5

 

Dipsacus

 

3

& 1 sp

Scabiosa

5

5

 

─────

 

 

 

Tussilago

 

1

 

 

 

 

(Aster) 1 sp.

Bellis

 

1

 

Erigeron

 

 

(Erigeron) (1 sp)

Bidens

2

2

 

 

 

 

Helianthus G. 2 sp

Species

58

94

3 Genera

Genera

12

28 Gen

14 species



name

var  

CC.

  Excluded

Inula

9

9

x

Gnaphalium

 

4

 

Artemisia

 

4 —

 

Achillea

 

2

 

Anthemis

 

5

x

Chrysanthemum

 

6

 

Cineraria

1

0

 

Senecio

11

11

xx

Cirsium x

8

8

xxx

Carduus

4

4

 

Onopadum

 

1

 

Lappa

 

3

 

 

 

 

Lactuca 1 sp

Carlina (262)

 

2

 

Centaurus

9

9

xx

Lapsane

 

2

 

─────

 

 

 

Thr[illeg]

 

2

 

Leontodon x

2

2

 

Pieris [illeg]

 

1

 

Tragopogon

3

3

 

Sc[illeg]

3

0

 

Podosplenum

1

0

 

Hypochaeris

 

3

 

Taraxicum

1

1

 

Charadrilla

 

2

 

Lactuca

4

4

1 sp.

Sonchus

4

4

 

Crepis x

7

7

 

Hieracium x

9

9

x

─────

 

 

 

Jacione x

2

2

 

Phyterum

2

 

 

Campanula

9

9 0

 

 

 

 

Jasmine gen & sp

─────

 

 

 

Calluna

1

 

 

Erica

 

5

 

Ilex

 

1

 

 

 

 

(Syringa lilac G. & 1 sp

Vinca

 

2

 

 

 

 

Asclepias gen & sp

Gentiana

6

0

 

Erythina x

 

2

 

Convolvulus

 

3

 

Cuscuta

2

0

 

Heliotropius (319)  

 

1

 

97

125

1 Genus 2 species

xx

20

33

 

 

3

(3

name

Var

CC

Excluded

Echium (p 309)

 

1

 

 

 

 

Cicer gen & sp

Lithospermum

 

3

 

Pulmonaria x

2

0

 

Lycoparis

 

1

 

Myosotis

7

7

x

Cynoglossum

 

3

 

 

 

 

Omphalodes G & Sp.

Mentha (317)

8

8

xxx (1 sp

Lycopus

 

1

 

Salvia

 

4

1 sp.

Origanum

1

1

 

Thymus

 

1

(Satureya) 1 sp.

Chiropodium

 

1

 

Glechoma

1

1

 

Melittis

1

0

 

Lamium

5

5

x

Galeopsis

3

3

x

Stachys

 

8

x

Betonica

1

1

 

Marrubium

 

1

 

Ballota

 

1

 

Scutellaria

4

0

 

Prunella

 

4

 

 

 

 

(very curious how many small genera have common species & vars.)

Ajuga

3

3

 

Tencrium

 

5

 

 

338 

 

 

Verbena offic

 

1

 

Orobanche

15

0

 

Solanum

2

2

1 sp.

Hyosciamus

 

1

 

 

 

 

G Datura 2 sp

 

 

 

G Nicotiana 1 sp

Verbascum xxxx

10

10

 

Scrophularia

 

3

 

Digitalis

 

3

1 sp

Linaria x

9

9

 

Melampyrum

3

3

 

Rhinanthus
(p. 364)

 

3

 

75

98

9 species
8 genera

Genera

16

30

 


Name

Var

C.C.

Excluded

Euphrasia x

4

4

x

Veronica x

18

18

xxxxx

Lysimachia

 

3

 

Anagallis

 

3

 

Primula

3

3

 

Plantago

7

7

xx

Amaranthus

 

4

1 sp

Chenopodium xx

8

8

xxx

 

 

 

Phytolacca 1 sp G

Blitum

3

0

 

 

 

 

Beta 1 sp G

Atriplex

3

3

x

 

 

 

Saponaria 1 sp G

Rumex x

13

13

xxxx 1 sp 1 sp

Polygonum xxx

11

11

xxxx 2 sp.

Euphorbia x

16

16

xx

Mercurialis

 

2

 

Urtica

 

3

x

Parietaria

2

2

 

 

 

 

Cannabis 1. sp G

Ulmus

2

2

 

 

 

 

Ficus 1 sp G

Alnus

 

1

 

 

 

 

Murus 1 sp. G

Betula

2

0

 

Populus

 

4

——2 sp.

 

 

 

X Salix 11 sp G

Quercus

5

5

 

Corylus

 

1

 

 

 

 

Juglans 1 sp

Juniperus

 

1

 

 

 

 

Platanus 1 sp.

Pinus

2

0

 

 

 

 

Taxus 1 sp

 

 

 

Abies 2 sp

99

114

 

Genera

15

21

 

Dicotyledons

 

 

26 species    11 genera

 

 

var Genera

C.C. Genera

Species Var.

(Species)
CC.

Genera

Species

18

33

103

146

1

7

19

35

104

159

10

30

12

28

58

94

3

14

20

33

97

125

1

2

16

30

75

98

3

9

15

21

99

114

26

11

100

180

536

736

44

73

 

 

 

[-] Rubus Rosa Salix}

3

27

 

 

 

Cultivated

41

46

 

(3a

Boreau in Flore du Centre de la France. (1840) of Dicots. Gives

Genera

Subtract culti plants.

 

Subtract Rosa, Rubus Salix

457

41

416

3

413

 

Species

1229

46

1183

27

1156} These are also subtracted from following calculation

 

First with respect to vars. (& Boreau makes a distinction between vars. with greek letter & variable genera)

Of the 413 genera, 100 have one or more vars, species with vars. & these 100 genera include 536 species, so they have on average 5.36. The remaining 313 (with no species having a var. have consequently (1156 - 536 =) 620 species, or on an average only 1.98 species to each genus. Or if we take whole Dicots we have 413/1156 (2.79

Secondly with respect to plants marked C.C. as most common. Of the 413 genera, 180 have one or more species marked C.C. & these 180 genera include 736 species, & therefore each genus has on average, 180/736 (4.08.

Consequently the remaining genera (413 - 180 =) 233 genera include (1156 - 736 =) 420 species, & each genus has on average 233/420 (1.80

The 180 genera have (180 + 75 =) 255 species, marked C.C. or on average each genus has 180/255 (1.41; so that this each 2 genera which have one very common species have almost 3 betwen them very common.

→ Being struck in the Labiatæ how many Genera with one species had this very common, I have calculated & find there are 16 genera with 48 species, so that each genus has on average 3.00 species. The remaining genera of Labiatæ (27 - 16 =) 11 without any C.C. species have altogether (62 - 48 =) 14 species, or on average only 1.27 species per genus, so even in this Fam. law hold good.

but more feebly

4

(4

Monocots:

Name

Vars no of spc.

C.C. no of sp.

Excluded sp.

Alisma (429)

5

5

x

Sagillaria

 

1

 

Potamogeton— xxx

11

11

 

Juncus x

13

13

xxxx

Luzula x

6

6

 

Conchicum

 

1

 

Muscari

 

3

 

Allium

7

7

(Allium) 2 spe

Narcissus

3

0

 

Iris

 

2

(Iris) 1. sp.

 

 

 

Crocus 1 sp. G

Orchis xxx

18

18

x

Epipactis

7

0

 

Sunipus x

15

15

xx

Eriophorum

4

0

 

 

 

 

Carex 53 x

Cynodon.

 

1

 

 

 

 

Zea 1 sp.

         

 

 

 

Digitaria

2

2

 

Agrostis x

5

5

x

Panicum

 

4

x Panicum 2 sp.

Phalaris

1

0

 

Phleum

3

3

 

Alopecurus

 

5

 

Anthoxantha

 

1

 

Aira (519)

7

0

 

Holcus

 

2

 

Arrhenatherum

1

1

 

 

 

 

Avena 4 sp.

Bromus

12

12

xxx

Brachypodium

 

2

 

Festuca xxx

14

14

 

Phragmites

 

1

 

Daclytis

 

1

 

Poa xx

10

10 xxxx

 

Briza

2

0

 

Triticum

 

2

Triticum 3 sp

 

 

 

Secale 1

146

148

 

Genera

20

27

Species 15 [+] 53 [=] 68    Genera 3 [+] 1 Carex [=] 4


Name

vars.

C.C.

Excluded sp.

Hordeum (544)

 

2

Hordeum 4 sp.

Lolium

4

4

 

 

 

 

Typha

2

2

 

Sparganium

 

3

 

Lemna

 

4

 

6

17

4 species

Genera

2

5

 

 

vars Genera

C.C Genera

var sp.

C.C Sp.

Genera

spec.

20

27

146

148

4

68

2

5

6

17

0

4

22

32

152

165

4

72



Dicot. & Monoct. Together

100

180

536

736

44

73

22

32

152

165

4

72

122

212

688

901

48

145

 

 

 

 

of these 48 genera; 44 excluded owing to cutivation

of the 145 species, 65 are excluded for being cultivated.

(5

Boreau in his Fl. of Monocots gives

Genera

Subtract culti plants.

 

Subtract Carex on account of size

100

3

97

1

96

Species

355

9

336

53

283

96/283 (2.94

First with respect to vars.

Of the 96 genera, 22 have one or more species with vars, & these 22 genera include 152 species, ie on average each genus 6.90 species to genus. The remaining (96 - 22 =) 74 genera include (283 - 152 =) 131 species, or on average each of the genera, which has not one species with var, has 1.77 species to genus.

Secondly with respect to Monocots C.C. or very most common. Of the 96 genera, 32 have one or more species marked C.C. & these 32 genera include 165 species, & ∴ each has on average 32/165 (5.15. The remaining genera (96 - 32 =) 64, have include (283 - 165 =) 118 species, or on average 64/118 (1.84

The 9 32 genera have (32 + 17 =) 49 species marked C.C. therefore on average each of these genera has 1.53 species thus marked.

Dicots & Monocot. together.

Of Phanerogams B. gives

Excluded from cultivation

Rubus, Rosa, Salix & Carex

1584

65

1519

80

1439

spec

& 557 genera

— 44

513

8 4

433 509/1439 (2.82

General average of species to genera with the exclusions.

 

First with respect to vars, of 509 genera, 122 have one or more species with marked varieties; these 122 genera include 688 species & therefore each genus has on average 122/688 (5.63. And the remaining genera (509 - 122 =) 387 genera include (1439 - 688 =) 751 species, or on average 387/751 (1.94

(6

Dicots & Monocot. together

Secondly with respect to plants marked C.C. Of the 509 genera, 212 have one or more species, marked C.C. & these 212 genera include 901 species, & ∴ on average have 212/901 (4.25. The remaining genera (509 - 212 =) 297, include (1439 - 901 =) 538 species & therefore have on average 297/538 (1.81

[in margin:] See about Labiatae Note

Altogether these are 212 genera include (212 + 92 =) 304 species marked C.C. so that each of these 212 genus has on average 1.43 common plants.

See my extract to show that he makes a marked difference between varieties & variations in the commonly diffused plants.—

For comparison with results calculated by Families in a different way see p 465 Decandolle.

If we take Families, I think (why?) whole world or at least whole continent shd be our field of comparison.— considering the wide extension of most Families

It wd be easy to calculate how many species in a genus have vars


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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