From Francis Elliott Kitchener 9 November 1867
Rugby School, | Rugby.
Nov. 9th. 1867.
Sir,
I hope I may, without impertinence, send you a flower of Aquilegia alpina, from Switzerland from a height of, about 7000, or 8000 ft—
You will notice that each spur is eaten away as if the insects prefered a short cut to the nectary. I found the same had happened in all the full-blown flowers which I gathered— As I gathered the specimens in clouds, I saw no insects about—so that I am unable to say who were the robbers.
The probability, I am afraid, is that they were not Lepidoptera, or the case might have affected the subject treated in p. 51 of your “Orchids”:1 I merely send the fact as possibly of use of you. Please do not trouble yourself to answer this in any way.
Yr obedient Servant | F. E. Kitchener.
Has any one yet investigated the fertilization of the Stapelia, to see, whether the putrid smell may be regarded as a mimetic resemblance to carrion, which benefits the plant by attracting flies, under false pretences of its being a suitable place to lay their eggs?2
Footnotes
Bibliography
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Summary
Sends Swiss Aquilegia flowers in which insects have eaten away the spurs.
Suggests fetid smell of Stapelia attracts carrion flies.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5674
- From
- Francis Elliott Kitchener
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Rugby School
- Source of text
- DAR 169: 39
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5674,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5674.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 15