RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1862.10.17. Lythrum which seeded when exposed to insects (experimental observations). CUL-DAR27.2.B53. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and 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 folder CUL-DAR27.2 contains notes for and the draft of Darwin's paper 'On the sexual relations of the three forms of Lythrum salicaria'. 1864-5. F1731.

[53]

Lythrum, which seeds, when exposed to insects at Down Oct. 17 — 62 — Young Plants in Orchard. Down

Long-styled

Mid-styled

Short-styled

75
47
99
83
98
77

[=] 479 [÷] 6 [=] 79.8 average say 80

I rejected only a few pods

(54 poor seed  
124
80
(60 poor seed)
95
87
111
(72)

580 [÷] 6 [=] 96.6
712 [÷] 8 [=] 89.0
766 [÷] 9 [=] 85.1

3 other pods rejected as poor.

(35) — omit
51
74
(29) — omit this
43
87
56
54

365 [÷] 6 [=] 60.8 say 61.

NB I rejected  several pods looking poor

 

 

/over

 

[53v]

These were yearly seedlings in garden close to covered plants & flowered very late, hence naturally less fertile than wild Plants.— Yet we see that mid-styled more fertile than 2 other forms — This alone had pods with above 100 seed— May say contained on averge 10 to 15 (I think I may say 15 more seed than long-styled & long-styled more fertile than short-styled

See in my artificial crosses (when all completed) whether long-styled more fertile than short-styled, if so I may trust case—

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

File last updated 8 December, 2025