RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1868.05-06. Buck-wheat Fagopyrum esculentum. CUL-DAR79.140-141. (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 3.2023. 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).
(102
Buckwheat Fagopyrum. esculentum à Keep for Dimorph & note of illegitimate U
(May 10th. 68. In both Pots the Legitimate plants are rather taller & finer than the illegitimate: now 6 or 8 inches high (?))
(May 24 In all three Pots the legitimate or crossed plants flowered from 1 to 2 days before the selfs or illegitimates)
May 24'
Pot. I From Longstyled illegitimate plants — 4 long-styled & 1 short-styled
II. do 1 [do] 1 [do]} count all & then add to below
Pot I from Short-styled illegitimate plant — 3 long -styled — count together all
Big Pot illegit. pants from long-styled. — spont self-fert
long-styled 20 + 20 + 4
Short-styled 2 + 0 + 1 (Offspring)
Big Pot. illegit. plant from short-styled spont self-fert
long-styled. 8 + 3 + 6 + 4 = 13 complete number
Short-styled — 8 + 11 + 1 = 20 complete number.
(June 3d
Pot I Plants from short-styled, now in full flower
5 Plants from the Legitimate cross, together, measured 16 ft, 6 inches in length — average.
5 plants from the self-fertilised or illegitimate union together measured only 11 ft. 3 inches in length. average.
The tallest plant in whole pot was one of the Legitimate plants
[102v]
42ft. 7in [÷] 15 [=] 3ft. 2in.06 [x] 12 [=] 38.06 inches in leng
32ft. 8in [÷] 15 [=] 2ft. 2inc.13 [x] 12 [=] 26.13 inches.
(103
Buckwheat
Pot I. plants from Long-styled
six crossed Plants measured 19 ft. 2 in
six self ― [do] 12. 8
Pot. II. plants from Long-styled
4 crossed Plants measured 11. 11
4 self-plants ― 8. 9
In all 3 Pots 15 crossed & 15 selfs. were matched — In each Pot the tallest plant was on crossed side & in most case each plant taller than its pair.
Altogether we have, as total length of the 15 Plants
Crossed |
Selfs |
16. 6 [+] 19. 2 [+] 11. 11 |
11. 3 [+] 12. 8 [+] 8. 9 |
[=] 47". 7 [÷] 15 |
32 " 8 [÷] 15 { average |
Long-styled 19.2 [+] 11. 11 [=] ft 31. 1 |
12. 8 [+] 8. 9 [=] 21. 5 |
Short-styled 16. 6 - |
11. 3 [=] 5. 6 |
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 22 December, 2025