278 BOTANY [Chap. X 



Letter 605 wonderful that they should pursue this course. It may be 

 said that the lateral ducts in the labellum running into the 

 antero-lateral ovarian bundle is no argument that the labellum 

 consists of three organs blended together. 



In desperation (and from the curious way the base of 

 upper petals are soldered at basal edges) I fancied the real 

 form of upper sepal, upper petal and lower sepal might be as 

 represented by red lines, and that there had been an incredible 

 amount of splitting of sepals and petals and subsequent 

 fusion. 



This seems a monstrous notion, but I have just looked at 

 Bauer's drawing of allied Bonatea, and there is a degree of 

 lobing of petals and sepals which would account for anything. 

 Now could you spare me a dry flower out of your 

 Herbarium of Bonatea speciosa} that I might soak and look 

 for ducts. If I cannot explain the case of Habenaria all my 

 work is smashed. I was a fool ever to touch orchids. 



Letter 606 To J- D - Hooker. 



Down, Nov. 17th [1861]., 



What two very interesting and useful letters you have 

 sent me. You rather astound me with respect to value of 

 grounds of generalisation in the morphology of plants. It 

 reminds me that years ago I sent you a grass to name, and 

 your answer was, " It is certainly Festuca (so-and-so), but it 

 agrees as badly with the description as most plants do." I 

 have often laughed over this answer of a great botanist. . . . 

 Lindley, from whom I asked for an orchid with a simple 

 labellum, has most kindly sent me a lot of what he marks 

 " rare " and " rarissima " of peloric orchids, etc., but as they 

 are dried I know not whether they will be of use. He has 

 been most kind, and has suggested my writing to Lady 

 D. Nevill, who has responded in a wonderfully kind manner, 

 and has sent a lot of treasures. But I must stop ; otherwise, 

 by Jove, I shall be transformed into a botanist I wish I 

 had been one ; this morphology is surprisingly interesting. 



1 See Fertilisation of Orchids, Ed. I., p. 304 (note), where the re- 

 semblances between the anomalous vessels of Bonatea and Habenaria 

 are described. On Nov. 14th, 1861, he wrote to Sir Joseph: "You are a 

 true friend in need. I can hardly bear to let the Bonatea soak long 

 enough." 



