[38]

Hooker (March 17 61) says that Cruciferæ may be divided (will write paper) into 2 great groups, one with dehiscent pods, & the other with indehiscent pods— The dehiscent have seeds which emit much mucus, which sticks them to first drops surface.

This like Alph. De Candolle's case of dehiscent pods with winged seeds. Enlarge on beauty of case of this adhesion— give my Pumilio & Asa Grays case of other Compositæ which send with 2 threads of mucus & shows how pretty adaptation. But then comes curious case of certain pods, of which lower

[38v]

part alone opens; yet the seeds in upper part which is indehiscent, have mucus seeds— So useless structures, (like sticky gland in Bee orchis spines on summit of Trees) & case of gradation of peculiar nature. [sketch]

[insertion:] Hooker on insular plants

Hooker also says same pod has seeds of two structures orthotropous & in same pod, good & peculiar case of transition.

7 + 8

[See Hooker. 1861. Praecursores ad Floram Indicam.  Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society: Botany 5: 128-80.]