My dear Hooker,

If you can put following request into anyone’s hands pray do so; but if not, ignore my request, as I know how busy you are.

I want any & all plants of Hoya examined to see if any imperfect flowers, like the one enclosed can be found, & if so to send them to me per post damp.² But I especially want them as young as possible.— They are very curious. I have examined some sent me from Abinger, but they were a month or two too old & every trace of pollen & anthers had disappeared or had never been developed. Yet a very fine pod with apparently good seed had been formed by one such flower.³

Ever yours | C. Darwin