Dear Sir

The accompanying nos. of the “Botanische Zeitung” have been sent me, containing papers by D^r. H. Hoffmann on variability in the genera Phaseolus & Papaver, which I thought might interest you if you have not already seen them.¹ D^r Hoffmann appears to be the author of a work “Untersuchungen zur Bestimmung des Werthes von Species u. Varietäten” (1869) with which I am not acquainted.²

I have been making during the past summer a few fresh observations on Drosera & Pinguicula; but do not know that I have detected anything fresh of much importance. What I did observe I have described to D^r. Hooker, who is, I believe, going to see you soon; & he will explain them to you if he thinks them of any value.³ The most interesting observation to myself is the detection of cells of a peculiar form

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beneath the epidermis in the leaves of both these plants & in the glands of Drosera, which I have been able to discover in no other plant except Callitriche: D^r Hooker tells me there are structures of the same kind in Darlingtonia; but whether they have anything to do with the process of digestion I am quite unable to say.⁴ They appear to be full of a yellowish protoplasm.

Yrs very truly | Alfred W. Bennett

C. Darwin Esq.

A. W. Bennett

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a, peculiar bodies in leaf & filament of gland of Drosera; (they are dispersed over the whole leaf. & not confined to the margin).

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b similar bodies in leaf of Pinguicula.

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Section of leaf of Drosera before unfolding, showing both the surface of the leaf & the filaments of the glands to be covered with papillæ. (These appear to disappear on maturity from the gland-filaments, but not from the surface of the leaf).