To W. T. Thiselton-Dyer   23 June 1874

My dear M^r Dyer

I wrote to you abt a week ago, thanking you for information on cabbage seeds, asking you the name of a Luzula or Carex, & on some other points; & I hope before very long to receive an answer.¹ You must now, if you can, forgive me for being very troublesome for I am in that state in which I would sacrifice friend or foe. I have ascertained that bits of certain leaves, for instance Spinach, excite much secretion in Pinguicula, & that the glands absorb matter from the leaves.²

Now this morning I have received a lot of leaves from my future daughter-in-law in North Wales, having a surprising number of captured insects on them, a good many leaves, & two seed capsules.³ She informs me that the little leaves had excited secretion; & my son⁴ & I have ascertained this morning that the protoplasm in the glands beneath the little leaves has undoubtedly undergone aggregation. Therefore, absurd as it may sound, I am prepared to affirm that Pinguicula is not only insectivorous but graminvorous & granivorous! Now I want to beg you to do is to look under the simple microscope at the enclosed leaves & seeds, & if you possibly can tell me their genera.⁵ The little narrow leaves are remarkable; they are fleshy with the edges much curled from the axis of the plant and bear a few long glandular hairs; they grow in little tufts. These are the commonest on Pinguicula, & seem to afford most nutritious matter. A second leaf is like a miniature sycamore. With respect to the seeds; I suppose that one is a Carex,; the other looks like that of Rumex, but is enclosed in a globular capsule. The Pinguiculæ grew on marshy low mountainous land. I hope you will think this subject sufficiently interesting to make you willing to aid me as far as you can.

Any how forgive me for being so very troublesome, & believe me to be Yrs very sincerely | Ch. Darwin