The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1861.10.28. Heterocentron roseum. CUL-DAR205.8.44. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2022. RN1

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-DAR205.8 contains notes on the genus Monochaetum and other plants.

"Lindley, John, 1799-1865. Botanist and prolific writer on botanical subjects. Member of Horticultural, Linnean and Geological Societies. Played a pivotal role in traditional botany in the Victorian era. 1828 FRS. 1829-60 Prof. Botany University College London. 1843 CD sent L some seeds which had been found by William Kemp under 25 feet of white sand. CCD2:355. 1853 L was in competition with CD for award of Royal Medal of Royal Society. CCD5:165. 1856 CD to Hooker, suggesting that L was worth a Copley Medal. 1857 L got a Royal Medal in 1857. CCD6:72." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021.)

See letter to Lindley on (16 November [1861]) on this subject. Correspondence vol. 9, p. 341 and letter to Hooker (17 November [1861]) on the same subject. ibid., pp. 344-5.

[44]

Oct 28th – 1861 - Heterocentron roseum; no doubt one of Melastomaceæ plant, from Lindley, who says half the anthers are sterile; those facing sepals being above fertile - & those facing petals are sterile (flat contradiction with Wallich) There are in this plant purple, & 2 lie close on one side & 2 one other side of stigma, which bent from flowers.

The 4 yellow anthers face on opposite side of flowers. I find equal quantities of pollen, in young flowers in both. – Under high power both looked equally good; with pulpy content – (excretion when distended by water – The grain from the purple anther which Lindley calls the good are certainly a little smaller than the grains from the yellow anthers – The purple

[44v]

grain being rather under 5/7000 & those from yellow anther ratherabove 5/7000.

I have [crossed]

The grains are in both nearly spherical, but rather pear-shaped – or a little [… dical] at one end. –

I have now looked with higher power & certainly the yellow-grains (Lindley sterile anther) are above 5/7000 even sometimes 6/7000; whereas the purple are generally rather under 5/7000 – so that nearly 1/7000 of inch in shorter diameter. N. B. These anthers had not opened. – Pollen white in Both. The purple anthers are widely different shape with long spur formed of connective age partly

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