ls, one normal anther, and two
modified anthers often forming the sides of the clinandrum.
LETTER 604. TO JOHN LINDLEY.
(604/1. It was in the autumn of 1861 that Darwin made up his mind to
publish his Orchid work as a book, rather than as a paper in the Linnean
Society's "Journal." (604/2. See "Life and Letters," III., page 266.)
The following letter shows that the new arrangement served as an
incitement to fresh work.)
Down, October 25th [1861?]
Mr. James Veitch has been most generous. I did not know that you had
spoken to him. If you see him pray say I am truly grateful; I dare not
write to a live Bishop or a Lady, but if I knew the address of "Rucker"?
and might use your name as introduction, I might write. I am half mad on
the subject. Hooker has sent me many exotics, but I stopped him, for I
thought I should make a fool of myself; but since I have determined to
publish I much regret it.
(FIGURE 9.--HABENARIA CHLORANTHA (Longitudinal course of bundles).)
(605/1. The three upper curved outlines, two of which passing through
the words "upper sepal," "upper petal," "lower sepal," were in red in
the original; for explanation see text.)
LETTER 605. TO J.D. HOOKER.
(605/2. The following letter is of interest because it relates to one of
the two chief difficulties Darwin met with in working out the morphology
of the orchid flower. In the orchid book (605/3. Edition I., page 303.)
he wrote, "This anomaly [in Habenaria] is so far of importance, as it
throws some doubt on the view which I have taken of the labellum being
always an organ compounded of one petal and two petaloid stamens." That
is to say, it leaves it open for a critic to assert that the vessels
which enter the sides of the labellum are lateral vessels of the petal
and do not necessarily represent petaloid stamens. In the sequel he
gives a satisfactory answer to the supposed objector.)
Down, November 10th, [1861].
For the love of God help me. I believe all my work (about a
fortnight) is useless. Look at this accursed diagram (Figure 9) of the
butterfly-orchis [Habenaria], which I examined after writing to you
yesterday, when I thought all my work done. Some of the ducts of the
upper sepal (605/4. These would be described by modern morphologists as
lower, not upper, sepals, etc. Darwin was aware that he used these terms
incorrectly.) and upper petal run to the wrong bundles on the column. I
have seen no such case.
This case apparent
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