RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1878].06.27-29. Mimosa pudica / Draft of Cross and self fertilisation. CUL-DAR209.2.133-134. 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
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-DAR209.2 contains materials on circumnutation of leaves and stems for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880). Draft is in the hand of Ebenezer Norman with corrections by Darwin. The text of the draft corresponds to Cross and self fertilisation, p. 405.
[133 & 134]
Mimosa pudica [figure]
[134]
*(10) page 88
Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist. Vol. XVI 1865, p. 14.
In my work on the Fertilisation of Orchids, and in a paper subsequently published in the Annals & Mag. of Nat. History it was has been shown that although certain species kinds of orchids possess a nectary, no nectar is actually secreted by it; but that insects penetrate the inner walls and suck the fluid contained in the intercellular spaces. I further suggested, that with in the case of some other species orchids that which do not secrete any nectar, that insects gnawed the labellum; and this suggestion has since been proved true. H. Müller and Delpino have now shown that some other plants have thickened petals which are sucked or gnawed by insects, their fertilisation being thus aided. All the known facts on this head have been collected by Delpino in his 'Ult. Osserv.' part ii. fasc. ii. 1875 p.p. 59-63.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 25 July, 2023