RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Francis Darwin. [1874]. U. nelumbifolia / U Jamesonii / U griffithii, etc. CUL-DAR59.1.141-144. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10.2022. 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 volumes CUL-DAR 54-61 contain material for Darwin's book Insectivorous plants (1875).
Utricularia is a genus of carnivorous plants known as bladderworts. These notes are for Darwin, C. R. 1875. Insectivorous plants. London: John Murray. (F1217)
"The social breadth of the network that Darwin drew on in his work on insectivorous plants was remarkable. The aristocratic horticulturist Dorothy Nevill hugely admired Darwin and was always eager to help by sending specimens from her well-stocked garden. ...[She] supplied Darwin with a specimen of Utricularia montana to work on. At first, Darwin mistook the empty stem tubers for bladders; when he found that the real bladders, which were very small and transparent and on the roots, captured prey, he exclaimed: 'I have hardly ever enjoyed a day more in my life than this day's work' (letter to D. F. Nevill, 18 September [1874]). Francis's new wife, Amy, drew the plant (letter to Francis Darwin, [17 September 1874])…Utricularia montana is an epiphytic species of bladderwort, native to the Antilles and northern South America. [It] is a synonym of U. alpina." Correspondence vol. 22, pp. xxviii, 447.
[141]
Habituating High up Organ mountains — aquatic or subaquatic
U. nelumbifolia — S. Brazil
Nothing to add to description — Except that in all the specimens I examined & this included a very large bladder the quads were [sketch] like [sketch], not:— [sketch] as in my former note
The prey caught was certainly articulate in nearly all were remains of the curious object of which a spec: is mounted [sketch]
U Jamesonii in Oliver's figure us very like an U orbiculata bladder.
Sp from India not in flower closely resembles U. cærulea
[142]
U griffithii (Malaya & Borneo)
Minute transparent bladders growing in rhizomes. Bladder in shape like fig 1
cærulea Antennæ glandular but not very (complex they are united at their bases for a short distance
fig 1 [sketch] 70 Hk 4 tube out length of bladder =. 028 inch
Quadrifids represented by bifids
One specimen had minute aquatic larva, another articulate remains
All Nearly every bladder & large quantities of min fine sand in it.
U. cærulea India bladder & antennæ like U griffithii. Quads represented by bifids — Catches entomostraca
U. orbiculata India Bladders grow on floating stems being orbicular has I [illeg] Papillæ outside
See fig [sketch] (Antennæ united for a short distance & having glands in united part The antennæ bear numerous many celled hairs with glandular heads—
The glands are of 4 equal bi cells:— [sketch]
Catches entomostraca
U. multicaulis — Sikkim (11-7000) ft
Bladders on rhizomes— Antennæ united into a large lobe attached to the bladder by a narrower pedicel—
The lobe has papillæ on its surface & many celled glandular hairs round its margin—
Quadrifids of 4 equal cells [sketch] — Some articulate remains
[143]
Multicaulis some artic remains bladders on rhizomes
[sketch] X (very large)
(glands) each branch = from 25-35 Hk No 8 t. out
[sketch] Rhizome
[calculation]
[sketch] X
— it is apparently symmetrical abt this spine — glandular heads broken off
[143v]
Turn over for picture
[calculation not transcribed]
[144]
U. orbiculata H [sketch]
showing glandular antennæ
[sketch]
[144v]
Turn over
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 4 November, 2022