The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1862.09.05. Spergula arvensis has 10 stamens generally. CUL-DAR48.A49. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 9.2021. 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-DAR48 contains notes for Natural selection chap. 8 'Transitions of Organs'. Notes on bees' cells for origin of species theory.

[A49]

Bournemouth - Sept 5 - 62. Spergula arvensis has 10 stamens generally, but those that face petals are smaller & shorter & some [occasionally] imperfect; but several plants had on most of these flowers only 5 stamens; now if in genus we had (as we have?) a plant with 10 & one with 5 stamens we see here how transition might be affected - we have only slowly to increase the number of flowers with 5 stamens.

Spergularia with pink flowers has 10 stamens with same 5 petal-faces smaller & shorter

[in margin:] (Transitions)

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