The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1877.08.29-09.10. Papaver somniferum. CUL-DAR66.172. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2023. 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-DAR66 contains notes on 'bloom'. Francis Darwin explained: "His researches into the meaning of the 'bloom,' or waxy coating found on many leaves, was one of those inquiries which remained unfinished at the time of his death. He amassed a quantity of notes on the subject". LL3: 339. See an Introduction to these folders by Christine Chua & John van Wyhe.

[172]

Papaver somniferum large var. purple flowers from Field

Aug 29th. 9˚ A.m 1877

6 pods cleaned 6 with bloom to be syringed.

Sept 10th. all the pods soft & somewhat blackened & decayed outside, but in cutting all into twain I cd perceive no difference within.

do date 8 + 8 to dry.

Sept 4' 2 with bloom gone hard

5 4 with bloom now hard & not one of cleaned ones so apparently ripen earlier

6th :: 6 with bloom & 6 without bloom hard so that they are now equal: it is odd but the ribs of those with bloom are more prominent than in the cleaned ones.

Sept 8th The 2 cleaned small pods rather harder than the 2 with bloom — No difference in prominence of ribs; could this have been optical delusion from whiteness of those with bloom.—

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