My dear Dyer

One line to thank you much for seeds² & to say that I heard from Saporta this morning. He is particularly obliged to Sir J Hooker & all at Kew, & admits that the fossil is more probably allied to Ceratopteris than to any Angiosperm— He remarks that this Fern is an anomalous form.—³

I do not know whether Hooker (whom I asked the meaning of the sort of joint on the arched plumule of the Onion) would care to hear, but I find that this joint-like structure first appears as a white prominence, which appears to me an adaptation to break through the crust, of earth. Long after the doubled or arched plumule or cotyledon (whichever it ought to be called) has risen some way above the surface of the earth the tip of the plumule lies coiled within the buried seed-coats, evidently absorbing the white abluminous(?) matter still abounding within the seed.⁴

Ever yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S | The peduncle of Cyclamen Persica bearing large pod, whilst bowing down to the ground, nutates in all directions. but chiefly earth-wards⁵

P.S. Feb. 21^st

I beg pardon for my stupidity in having put wrong note in envelope.—⁶ Pray thank Sir Joseph for having sent me G. Henslow on cotyledons of Grasses.— I will keep it, if I do not hear to contrary.—⁷ If you see M^r Henslow pray give him my thanks, so I suppose he took such enormous labour for Hooker’s sake.