RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Francis Darwin. [1877?].02.10-11. Lychnis githago / Draft of Forms of flowers. CUL-DAR209.4.234. (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 9.2022. 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-DAR209.4 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).


[234]

Feb 10th

Lychnis githago

at ∠ angle to Cots

8°. 17' 

8 50 to right & from so called light   

9 33 back & parallel to left   

10 23 same course      Distance 9 2/8 distance .55

11. 18 .   do 

11. 55   to left         

12. 48 to light

1°   to light & right  9.25 [÷*] .55 [=] 16.8 (say 17 times)

1. 50   to right         

2 17 to right & from light      

3—   same course dot on old line   

3. 55   do     

4. 30 do     

5. 10 nearly same course       

6. 4 to left rather        

7 17 right from light   Tracing axaggerated on

8. 30 to right & frm light        left side

9. 15 little bit to right at 3° P.m only some began to open & at

10 7 from light            4° 30' a very few were  

10° 53' short way to right       from 20° to 24° open ; At 4°

Feb 11' 6° 55'  30' covered with night-Cap.—

11. 35 to light at 6° more closed at 7°. 30'

8 25 to left a little       completely shut except a few 2

9 22 to light & right a little    injured seedlings.—

10 10 to light 

11. 4 to light & left    

11 35 to left & little from light         

12. 10 — say 12. 17    Whole Plants heliotrop by 4°

Cots all still closed!    more greatly bent to side of light

First

First movement & last in plane of Cots & then at rt ∠

put in Hot-House 12° 30; remained closed all day misty.

(Used)

[234v]

refer to plants of this kind in the following chapters, I will here give a few details respecting them. It is familiar to every one that the ray-florets with of the Compositæ often differ remarkably from the others; & so it is with the outer flowers of many Umbelliferæ, some Cruciferæ & a few other families. Several species of Hydrangea & Viburnum offer striking instances of the same fact. The Rubiaceous genus Mussænda is remarkable presents a very curious appearance from some of the flowers having the apex tips of one of the sepals developed into a large petal-like

[Forms of flowers, pp. 4-5: "With many plants, the flowers towards the outside of the inflorescence are much larger and more conspicuous than the central ones. As I shall not have occasion to refer to plants of this kind in the following chapters, I will here give a few details respecting them. It is familiar to every one that the ray-florets of the Compositæ often differ remarkably from the others; and so it is with the outer flowers of many Umbelliferæ, some Cruciferæ and a few other families. Several species of Hydrangea and Viburnum offer striking instances of the same fact. The Rubiaceous genus Mussænda presents a very curious appearance from some of the flowers having the tip of one of the sepals developed into a large petal-like expansion, coloured either white or purple."]


Return to homepage

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

File last updated 20 December, 2025