From Richard Spruce [1876–7]1
Note for Mr. Darwin.
In consulting my MSS. lately for evidence as to the relationship between Tiliaceæ & Passifloreæ I came on the following instances of Dimorphism.2
The species of the Tiliaceous genus Mollia are low trees with long, distichous leaves, and axillary star-like flowers with white petals as large as those of Passiflora cærulea.3 In four species of my gathering (M. speciosa Mart., lepidota S. tomentosa S., longifolia S.) the numerous stamens are grouped in 5 outer, and 5 inner shorter cohorts—the former with pink purple or pale violet filaments & anthers, and green pollen—the latter with yellow anthers & pollen.4 Length of style not noted.
In Luhea altheæflora S., which has large purple flowers, the numerous stamens, with yellow anthers & pollen, are encompassed by an outer row of slender violet anantherous filaments—plainly a relique of a former dimorphous condition.5
In L. paniculata6 Mart. there is also an outer row of shorter and anantherous filaments.
In the curious Leguminous genus Swartzia the stamens are notably dimorphous, & in one species (S. grandifolia Bong.) they are apparently tetramorphous.7
RS.
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Cross and self fertilisation: The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1876.
Forms of flowers: The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1877.
Gray, Asa. 1865d. New or little-known Polynesian Thymeleæ. Journal of Botany 3: 302–6.
Summary
Notes on various instances of dimorphic stamens.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4372
- From
- Richard Spruce
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 109: B119
- Physical description
- Amem 1p ††
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4372,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4372.xml