To George Bentham   30 November [1856]¹

My dear Sir

I am extremely much obliged to you for answering my loose questions so fully & clearly.— I see I was quite wrong (as might have been expected from so vague a guide as Loudon’s Encycl.) in regard to few trees having papilionaceous flowers.—²

I was not in the least aware that those Leguminosæ, which have apetalous flowers, “were almost without anthers”: you once told me before, about the apetalous Leguminosæ, & I think I wrote down other names besides Ononis, Lespediza & Clitoria: I will, if I do not hear to the contrary quote this fact on your authority, viz the apetalous condition of “many” Leguminosæ, which in this condition are almost without anthers & yet produce more seed than the ordinary flowers.³ I wish to Heaven this case was more general, it would be splendid for me, as it would seem that pollen must be brought from some other flowers, without indeed it be a case of agamic seeding.— I have for many years watched insects on flowers,—them carrying pollen &c &c, & I have some curious little facts; however, loose & wild the speculations are, which they tend to lead me to. In my enemies the Leguminosæ, or rather in some of them, I cannot conceive how it is that the Bees do not carry pollen from one variety or individual to another, & yet in some cases, as in Sweet Peas, I have good evidence that the varieties never cross.—⁴ How strange it is that the Cruciferæ sh^d. cross to such an extent as they do! I suppose there is no common English Leguminous plant, which has apetalous flowers; I sh^d. so like to watch it & insects.—

I thank you warmly for your very kind offer of giving me further information; but I will not be exorbitant, yet sometime I daresay I may trouble you again

Your’s very sincerely | C. Darwin