Dear M^r. Darwin

I received this morning from M. Ardoino—a botanist at Mentone—the small packet of seed of Ononis Columnæ enclosed, which he kindly spared me from his herbarium.—²

With a view to finding out what species of Ononis there might be answering to your description I looked through the genus at Kew, & found one bit of Ononis Columnæ labelled in M^r. Bentham’s handwriting, “var. vernalis apetala”— —³

I then referred to MM. Grenier & Godron’s Flore de France (I. 377) where mention is made of abortion in the following terms “Corolle plus courte que le calice ou l’égalant, presque avortée dans les fleurs automnales (Vill.)”— —⁴ It seems, however, from the quotation of Villars name that MM. G. & G. had not observed the fact themselves—

In Villars’ Histoire des Plantes de Dauphiné (III, 430) I find the following passage alluding to this plant— “—dans les derniers temps de sa floraison, en automne, ses petales deviennent si petits, qu’ils restent cachés sous le germe, dans le fond du calice, de maniere qu’on ne les apperçoit pas du tout— Le fruit n’avorte cependant pas—” —⁵

I have applied in several other quarters for seed, & if successful I shall send it at once— —

Pray remember me very kindly to M^rs. Darwin⁶ & all your circle | & believe me | y^rs. very sincerely | J. Traherne Moggridge.

We remain at the above adress till Sept. 4, after which date I shall be in Wales for a month the adress being J. D. Llewelyn Esq Penllergare near Swansea—⁷

I do hope that some of your sons will look me up here some day!