RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1868.07. Mignonette / Black Thread Pollen from same plant. CUL-DAR76.B22,B22a,B23-B24,B24v. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, 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 volumes CUL-DAR 76-79 contain material for Darwin's book Cross and self fertilisation (1876).
[22]
1868) Mignonette. Black Thread Pollen from same plant.
A. by pollen of B. White Thread 2 (1) (2. by B & C + 1. + 1.) Double white mean old flower refertilised
(1) (1) (1) (1) (1) = 6)
A B by pollen of C. White wool (1) (1) (1) (1) / A is fertile by B & C.
A by pollen of D Whi Black White Silk / Apparently self-sterile
(See Back)
A by pollen of E Black wool / 14 13 flower on A fertilised, & 13 pods produced & not one of them fertilised with care with own pollen set a pod. /14 flower were fertilised
(16 flowers by pollen of distinct flowers on same plant)
B by pollen of A white thread (1) (1. by by A & C II (1.)nil (1)) / B fertil by A & C & D (& E?)
(1.) (1) (1) (1) (This plant is Var with differently colored pollen) Pollen yellow instead of red
B by pollen of C white wool (1?) (1) (1) / I think half-fertile with own pollen; but that in 3 lower flower near crossed flowers.
(18 flowers between 2 Blacks strings pollen from distinct plants flower on same plant)
B by pollen of D white silk (1 by D & E) (see Back)
(1)
B by pollen E Black wool. (1) / Fourteen pods produced, but one or two rather poor— none of self set (16 flower were crossed)
C by pollen of A. white thread (1) (1) (1) (1 by A & B (1.))
C. by pollen of B. White wool (1) (1)
C by pollen of C D white silk (1 by D & E (1))
(1)
C by pollen of E Black wool. (1) / C, fertile by A & B & D & E
(19 flowers by pollen of distinct flower on same plant) I think self-sterile
(See Back)
[22v]
The Pods grew to .2 or .25 of an inch in length & then all drop off─
I shd not be at all surprised if plants occasionally did produce Pods—
May 7' I have compared new [microscop] pollen of B. & A. size same, (dry) but B certainly very different colour.— The extra plant which I thought had yellow pollen, turns out a mistake. I think pollen of B less coherent.—
(I have been looking at 4 or 5 flowers, one with yellow pollen & from A & immature, & these had nearly half their anthers open & standing right over stigmas, but pollen so coherent had not dropped on: so self sterility may be partly due to stigmas not getting their own pollen without aid.)
(On Plant C. 10 flowers fertilised & produced 9 fine Pods
3 flowers on one branch produced moderately perfect pod, but one on one side & 2 of them not artificially fertilised) might have accidentally got dusted by adjoining plant─)
[22a]
Mignonette
D by pollen of A. White Threads (1) (1 by A & B) (one double white Thread)
D by B C white wool (1) (1 by B & C)
(1)
D by C White silk (1) ((1) by C & E)
(1)
/ D is fertile by A & B & C & E
D by E Black wool. (1) / Almost or quite self-sterile
(18 flowers by pollen of distinct flower distinct on same plant) Back
E by A. White Thread (1 by A & D) / E infertile by C & E & by prob D I think self-sterile
(8 fl. Pollen yellow instead of red. between 2 Black Threads fertilise by pollen from distinct flower on same plant)
E by B White wool
1 [+] 2 [+] 2 [=] 5 [+] 2
E by C white silk (1) (1) (1 by C & D. (1))
E by D Black wool.— (1) (1)
7 flowers fertilise crossed & all produced fine Pods & not one of self-fertilised flowers
F none crossed— did not produce any self-pods, except some at bottom, close above expanded flowers with open anthers which had been cut off when plant put under net— & I suppose that some pollen had got on stigmas, before these flower lower flowers with closed had opened their anthers — I may call this plant self-sterile
[22av]
Plant D 9 flower crossed & produced 7 fine Pods — on this Plant 2 pods for self, one beneath the crossed & one just above, hence I believe accidental — not one of the carefully artificially self-fertilised produced one pod.
May 14. Plant F (new) 31˚ ago I put plenty of pollen on stigmas & examined one & found abundance of tubes penetrating the stigmas. If this plant does not set seed this observation will suffice for I today fertilised with own pollen plenty of flowers.—
Mignonette
[23]
(1
Mignonette
Plant A., 14 fl. fertilise by B (self-sterile) & C (I tried some by mixing pollen of 2 kinds produced 13 pods
16 by pollen of other flowers on same plant not one nor spontaneously any
Plant B — 14 flowers crossed by A, C D (self-sterile) & E — produce 14 pods, but produced some of them rather poor. 4 4 3 2 1
(⸮) 18 self-fertile by pollen ofotherflowers on same plant set none — but in a few 3 spont. produce were able to the artificially crossed flowers 3
Plant C, 10 flowers by pollen of A (self fertile) (B) (self-sterile) & D self-sterile & E ( ) produced 9 fine pods
19 flowers by pollen of distnct flower on same Plant, (set none?) (3) but again none crossed flowers (3)
[23v]
Draft of Insectivorous plants.
[Transcribed at CUL-DAR76.B23r-B24r]
[24]
(2
D 10 fl crossed by A, B, C, & E, produced 9 fine pods
18 fl by pollen of distinct fl. on same plant. 0/ (only 2 spont. close to crossed.) (2)
E —5 7 fl by A, C. D & E & D, all produce fine pods
8 fl by pollen from distinct plant — none & none as spontaneously
F. produced none spontaneously & many flowers were artificially self-fertilised & produce none (Pollen-tubes)
G. do. do. do (4 addition Plant) Back
Sun
7 Plants
|
Crossed flowers. |
Produced pods |
artificially self fert |
|
A |
14 |
13 |
16 |
(3 cases with 3, 3, & 2 pods but one to artificially cross flower) |
B |
14 |
14 |
18 |
|
C |
10 |
9 |
19 |
|
D |
10 |
9 |
18 |
|
E |
7 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
55 |
52 |
79 |
|
[24av]
July 2d /68/ an additional mignonette Plant. (I think making 6th) or 7th??) has been long placed under net quite by itself & has not set seed of any kind—
Sept. 3 /68/ Four additional plants were placed altogether under net— some of them produced pods on part of stems in most capricious manner; hence I believe some Bee or Fly got in. —
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 8 January, 2026