194 MR. MILLER CHRISTY ON 
the parents (the Primrose) habitually bears single flowers, and 
Iotwithstanding that, when that species enters into a hybrid 
union with another umbellate species (the Cowslip), the hybrids 
which result therefrom present almost every variation between 
the two, the hybrids which result from a union between the 
Primrose and the Oxlip are remarkably uniform in character, being 
almost invariably umbellate. Hybrid plants bearing single flowers 
are occasionally found, but they are uncommon and exceptional. 
This is certainly somewhat remarkable. It may, perhaps, be 
taken as evidence that the parent which bears umbellate flowers 
(the Oxlip) is the prepotent (and, therefore, probably the 
female) parent; but, on this point, it is very difficult to obtain 
any tangible evidence, as both plants grow habitually in very 
similar situations. This conclusion, however, does not accord 
with the conclusion already arrived at to the effect that, in the case 
of hybrids between the Primrose and Cowslip, the former is 
probably the prepotent and female parent. 
In some other respects, the hybrids of the Primrose with 
the Oxlip differ from those with the Cowslip. All the hybrids 
are, of course, more or less intermediate in form between their 
respective parents; but, in the former case, the hybrids are 
fairly constant in character, while in the latter they are very 
variable. Again, they differ much in their abundance relatively 
to that of their parents. While hybrids between the Primrose 
and the Cowsiip are, considering the circumstances, compara- 
tively scarce, hybrids between the Primrose and the Oxlip are 
very abundant. The latter may be due not so much to any 
exceptional readiness on the part of the Primrose and the Oxlip 
to enter into hybrid unions, as to the fact that the flowering- 
times of these two species are much more nearly synchronous 
than is the case with those of the Primrose and the Cowslip. 
The Primrose habitually commences to flower before the Oxlip, 
but the latter flowers before the Primrose has passed its best. The 
flowering-time of the Oxlip, in fact, is approximately intermediate 
between those of the Primrose and the Cowslip. 
Although, as already said, the character of this Hybrid i 
fairly constant, one may detect two prevalent ty pe-forms. One, 
the commoner, though umbellate, has the umbel irregular and 
straggling, without the elegant droop and regular arrangement 
of the usual Oxlip umbels, while the individual flowers are of à 
