The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1881.05.17. Desmodium from Fritz Müller. CUL-DAR67.65. 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-DAR67 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.

May 17th 1881 Desmodium from Fritz Müller Sp. I said to sleep like common Desmodium. —

Seedlings have now formed 3 true single orbicular leaves, 2 lower ones opposite & then bigger single one — At night blades depend vertically & after this petiole of the 3d central leaf rises vertically up. — All 3 first true leaves beautifully silvery under water. — Cots — not at all silvery, yet slightly oily, so that drops of water which adhere to surface & do not behave like quicksilver, yet run together a little when the Cots. are taken out of water.—

Shaking & rubbing for some time does not cause any depression of the 3 first leaves.

In the afternoon petiole sinks down & then after dark, where blade vertically dependent the petiole quickly rises up, till it stands vertically or almost vertically up.—

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