Summary

Discusses homologies of plant organs.

The passion-flower tendril should be considered a modified branch rather than a modified flower. Considers the distinction between the peduncle and the leaf midrib.

Summary

Requests observations on Drosera and Dionaea,

and asks DO to look up Buchanan and Wight on insectivorous plants ["Conspectus of Indian Utricularia", Hooker’s J. Bot. 1 (1849): 372–4].

Summary

Has put Drosera off while amusing himself with Primula and orchids.

Dionaea is prettily adapted to weight detection.

Summary

Struck with corresponding positions of tendrils and flower-stalks in Passiflora. Sends [W. E. Darwin’s] dissection drawings of earliest stages. Infers that tendril is a modified flower peduncle.

Requests DO look at mode of climbing in Tecoma.

Summary

Asa Gray approves of Orchids; his work on American species confirms CD’s findings.

Summary

Delighted to try experiments on Drosera spathulata.

Summary

Sends address.

Summary

Requests Dionaea now that he knows Drosera so well. Wants to compare fluids secreted; in Drosera they are acid and have antiseptic effect on meat.

Summary

Thanks for reference to Annales des Sciences Naturelles.

Requests DO observe rate at which Australian Drosera closes.

On detection of nitrogen in organic fluids.

Summary

Encloses memorandum on tendrils. Nature of tendrils in Modecca.

Summary

After much crossing, has worked out meaning of dimorphism in Primula.

Summary

Requests climbing plants.

Asks that Oliver be told that he now does not care "how many tendrils he makes axial".

Summary

Observations on Drosera: plants can distinguish minute quantities of nitrogenous substances.

Summary

Walter White [Asst.-Sec. and Librarian, Royal Society] has introduced EC to Richard Kippist of the Linnean Society, who has made little progress toward accepting Origin.

Summary

MTM heard part of the abstract of CD’s paper on climbing plants, read at the Linnean Society on 2 Feb. Offers CD his opinion and information on the subject, which he has studied for many years.

Summary

Thanks for DO’s Lessons in elementary botany [1864].

Asks him to inquire whether there are any twining species of Passiflora.

Summary

Encloses MS on observations and experiments on Drosera. JDH’s opinion will help him decide whether to pursue subject in some future year.

Summary

CD’s observations on preference of Drosera for milk and nitrogenous fluids, and the effect of nitrate of ammonia are interesting. Asks whether CD is satisfied that the effect is not due to density of fluid or to a chemical irritant. His own observations suggest such possibilities.

Summary

Discusses the cleistogamous flowers of Oxalis. Thinks they may not be truly cleistogamous but merely arrested or imperfectly developed normal flowers.

Summary

Observations on climbing species of Tacoma. [Tecoma!?]