ly shows that not the least reliance can be placed on
the course of ducts. I am sure of my facts.

There is great adhesion and extreme displacement of parts where the
organs spring from the top of the ovarium. Asa Gray says ducts are very
early developed, and it seems to me 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 (605/5. See "Fertilisation of Orchids," Edition I., page 304
(note), where the resemblances between the anomalous vessels of Bonatea
and Habenaria are described. On November 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."), 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, November 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 morpholog