RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [ny].10.21-.10.29. Marchantia / Draft of Forms of flowers / Proof sheet of Cross and self fertilisation, p. 134, published p. 265. CUL-DAR209.3.233-235. (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 12.2022. 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-DAR209.3 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).


233

(1

Oct 18th 1879. Marchantia— N-E window — slightly inclined frond with 2 Sights. — covered with Bell-glass [watched] in intervals [sketch]

vertical glass 

1      

8º 20' 9. 35' a.m. (?)

10. 30   down

11. 45   little down to the R.

2º  5    to R & up little

4 . 20'   about same spot

10 . 20'  ⨀  marks fallen down.

19th 7º 43 am    risen greatly apparently

19th 9. 15' new mark —(moved pot)

 

[diagram label]

mark close behind

 

    10 ·20   to right & down— slewed pot & new dot → ⨀

    12    5    to right— Horizontal

    12 . 53   down & to left

     2º    down little & to R.

     2 50'    to right.

     4º     little down

     7º. 18   down

    10'. 10' P.m   to right & little up

20th — 7º. a.m

(Epinasty?)   

       10 45    horizontally back to left

      almost under rim of Pot

10. 45   new dot pushed down peg without moving position of Frond

11. 45   down & to left

   1. 55   to Right Horizontal

   4º down & to Left

   7. 20   down.

    8. 55   down.

  10 30   to Right Horizontal

21st 7º a.m.

     9º   same spot

   10 20 down & to R

   12º down & to L.

     2º down & to R

     4 · 30 .    do .

7º20 P.m   down to Left.

10. 25   vertically down

22d   7º a.m.

⎼⎼   12º     down

⎼⎼   4. 20' down

⎼⎼   10. 45 Pot to Left Horizon

23d· 6· 50 am.

   9º 10   down

   12º   up   !!

   1· 30 atom down

   4º   down & parallel as at 9º·10'

   5 . 30   down & to left

    7 · 20   down

  10 · 30' P.m   do

[233v]

363

Ch VIII Concluding R

proportion of them than of other ordinary plants bury their capsules young ovaries in the ground;─ an action, which it may be presumed, serves for to protect them from being devoured by birds or other enemies though this gain. But this advantage is accompanied with by the loss of the power of wide dissemination. No less than eight of the genera in the list at the be beginning of this chapter include species which act in this manner, namely, several kinds of Viola, Oxalis, Vandellia, Linaria, Commelina, & at least three genera of Leguminosæ. The seeds also of Leersia, though not buried, are concealed in the most perfect manner within the sheaths of the leaves. The facilities

[The text of the draft corresponds to pp. 338-9.]

[bottom of page excised]

234

(2

24th Octobr. 1879      Marchontia

Plant kept damp   

under Bell-glass.  

7º a.m.

8· 15 down

8º 15· new dot ⨀ pushed peg deep.

     into ground & slewed pot a mere trifle

10. 20'  down & to R.

12º     —  up.

2º     down.

4     down & to Left

6  filament fallen off. (cd it have been falling for days?)

Oct 25 8º 45' am. — New glass — new filament well fixed. on old frond placed tracing — (New Tracing) nearly in same position to light

10. 15   risen greatly— This had best be the new start

11. 50'  down

2º   to   right & little up.

2º  50   back & to Left

4º   to   right & down

5. 5' to  L left & down

6. 5   to Right & down

7. 20·   straight up

9º.   up‒ higher than ever .

10· 45   still up same course

26th  7º a.m.

   8º· 25   to Right — Horizontal

   9º· 17    to Right     do

10 . 30    up & to left

12º   vertically down

1. 48'   to Right & little down

2.  50'   up.

4º    up & to left

 5º    back & parallel

  6     to left & down

  7º 10 down & to right on old line

   8 45  to left, little up & parallel

   10. 30' P.m a little back & down & parallel

27th — 6 45' a.m.

    7º 45' considerably up

Oct 19' 9º 15 a m   

to

24th 6º P.m.

[234v]

(a) text: lead on p. 338

The most irregular fact about the present species is that the long-styled plants produce long-styled cleistogamic flowers, & the mid-styled as well as the short-styled cleistogamic flowers of the corresponding forms; so that there are three kinds of cleistogamic & three kinds of perfect flowers produced by this one species! Most of the heterostyled species of Oxalis are more or less sterile, many absolutely so, when if illegitimately fertilised with their own-form pollen. It is therefore almost certain probable that the pollen of the cleistogamic flowers must have has been modified in power, so as to act on their own stigmas, for they yield an abundance of seeds.

We may perhaps account for the cleistogamic flowers consisting of the three forms, through the

235

 (3

Oct 27'   Marchontia

 

8º. a.m.   new tracing ↘   viewed more horizontally so not so much distorted & magnified

Diameter of Disc .4 transversely by .3 

Magnification — about 36 times   

Length of filament .7 of inch       

Distance from dot to glass   8.5 inches  

Distance from end of filament to dot   .25 inch

9º  –   down

10º    up & to Right

11º 10'   up & little to left

12º    down & to left—

1º      up.

2. 5    down

3º      up.

4º   down & good way to the Left

5º   to left

6º   to right back & parallel

7º 18·   to right same line crossed down line

8. 23   . to left & back

9. 30   . up & to right

10. 35 P.m. same course to right —(Filament dropped off. during night)

 

Oct 28th   10º. 34' a.m. fixed filament with [sketch] to same frond, at right' angle to margin inclined upwards & made dot.— Pot moved so that about 45º fr Light

(New tracing on different method)

How much magnified?

assume that whole breadth of .3 inch moves

11º 10'   an atom up.

12   10'   an atom to left side

  1º  30'     nearly same spot.

  3º   same spot. about

  4º   risen a little

     moved very little not enough magnified

Oct 29'   8º a.m to test whether still in motion put black dot behind again

8º 45 · down

9º 25   down & to left

10· 30'  back & up— little

12   to left

1º   down

2º    little up

4º   in middle of same small arc.—

5º   35      do.    do

10. 30     do     do

Oct 30'   8º am nearly same general spot

(say when I examined again on 29th   

days subsequently— was still circumnutating

but over very small space)

11 inches

.33 dot to end of line

magnified 33 times    

Disc partially joined on to another one

[235v]

[Proof sheet of Cross and self fertilisation, p. 134, published p. 265.]


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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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