276 BOTANY [Chap. X 



Letter 603 wonderfully different from that which Veitch sent me, which 

 was C. saccatum. 



According to the vessels, an orchid flower consists of three 

 sepals and two petals free ; and of a compound organ (its 

 labellum), consisting of one petal and of two (or three) 

 modified anthers ; and of a second compound body con- 

 sisting of three pistils, one normal anther, and two modified 

 anthers often forming the sides of the clinandrum. 



Letter 604 To John Lindley. 



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} The following letter shows that the new arrangement served 

 as an incitement to fresh work. 



Down, Oct. 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. 



Letter 605 T ° J' D " H °O ker - 



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 2 he wrote, " This anomaly [in Habenarid\ 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, Nov. 10th, [1861]. 



For the love of God help me. I believe all my work 

 (about a fortnight) is useless. Look at this accursed diagram 

 (fig. 9) of the butterfly-orchis [Habenaria], which I examined 

 after writing to you yesterday, when I thought all my work 



1 See Life and Letters, III., p. 266. 

 s Ed. I., p. 303. 



