The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1863]. CUL-DAR157.2.7. Cobaea. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 5.2023. RN1

The volumes CUL-DAR157.1-2 contain notes, abstracts etc. for Darwin's long paper and later book Climbing plants (1865). It was also commercially available as a softbound offprint, F834, F834a. See R. B. Freeman's bibliographical introduction. Items CUL-DAR157.11-60 were in a folder marked "Twiners". Items CUL-DAR157.61-112 were in a folder marked "Leaf-climbers" and items CUL-DAR157.114-147 were in a folder marked "Tendrils". Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin.

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Cobaea

Peas &c. — This shown by slips of glass when corkscrew motion began they were go dragged off.— It is pretty to see how branchlets twist into any crevice just like roots, even more like roots thrown over smooth surface. —

I made many trials with slips of glass & black cards at 2 to 3 inches below them, as far as I could imperfectly judge — the terminal branchlets turned to black card & hooks never became attached properly to glass; but then the drawing off made judgement difficult.—

Beautifully adapted for [bale] of large tree or twigs — unlike other tendrils in former respect.—

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Cobæa

(I did think senseless twisting till hooks caught; but then one hook wd oftener have caught, & branchlets would not creep into fissures like roots.—) Worsted glove entangles wonderfully Hook on naked skin.

Hooks all important, t. cannot catch [permanently] thin tubes or slips or plate of glass — After catching by movement the tube, subsequent movements of t'., hooks not having caught, releases the whole tendril. —

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