My dear Hooker

There is something very odd in Rostellum of Masdevallia: the only structure I have met with at all like your wonderful Listera case—¹ I cannot, however, see any explosion.— If you have plenty of flowers & are sending anything else I sh^d like to see a few more; especially a rather earlier flower.

I sh^d doubt whether there was such a shut-up flower in world; all sepals grown together except the 2 little windows for proboscis.—²

Ever yours | C. Darwin