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May 8th 1867. Ononis Columnæ

Seedlings raised from seed from N. Italy sent me by Mr. J. T. Moggridge.─ The lower imperfect flowers are now swollen & contain seeds. The upper ones flowers look like small leaf-buds in axles of leaves. The sepals long & green & adpressed petals much reduced & colourless, folded over organs of fructification─ (Pistil hook-shaped with plainly enlarged, not hairy stigma curled down towards anther.) The filaments united into a tube: this alternative (5) ones quite destitute of anthers.

The Each anthers of the 5 perfect stamens, consists of two little rounded, very minute cells, quite separated by connective tissue; & each cells contains but few pollen-grains, which in water are spherical & appear extremely delicate & are from 8 to 9/ 7000 of inch in diameter.─

Has not produced one normal flower ─ good, as bearing on Vandellia &c &c ─

O. minutissima has produced imperfect & some perfect flowers (over)

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During 1868 same plants of O. columnæ produced perfect & imperfect flowers