198 MR. MILLER CHRISTY ON 
or recorded it in this country. In connection with this rare 
union, it may be borne in mind that not only are the flowering- 
times of the two parent species not synchronous (the Oxlip 
flowers being nearly over before those of the Cowslip are fully 
blown), but tne two plants have very different habitats (the one 
being essentially a plant of the woodlands, the other of the open 
meadows). 
It seems as if the Oxlip was able to withstand almost eom- 
pletely the seductive hybridizing influence of the Cowslip, to 
whose presence it is everywhere accustomed, but was unable 
to withstand the blandishments of the Primrose, to whose presence 
it is only locally accustomed. 
Although (as in the case of the reputed hybrids between the 
Primrose and the Oxlip) I can advance no final and conclusive 
proof of the hybrid origin of these plants, there appears, never- 
theless, not the slightest reason to doubt that they are hybrids. 
For :— 
(a) In each case where I have found them, both the reputed 
parents have been growing in close proximity ; 
(6) I have never observed similar plants in places where 
either of the two reputed parents has been absent; and 
(c) They are in character intermediate between the two re- 
puted parents. 
It must be admitted, however, that, in general, these hybrids 
approach more nearly to the form of the Cowslip than to that of 
the Oxlip, having the large inflated calyx, the saucer-shaped 
corolla-limb, and the bright yellow colour of the Cowslip; but 
the size of the flower, the colour of the eye-spot, and other 
smaller characters unmistakably suggest the Oxlip. 
Moreover, Kerner has called attention* to the existence 00 the 
Continent of a similar hybrid (which he calls Primula media) 
between the two forms in question. His statement that, cor 
sidering that the two parent species grow close together in the 
greatest abundance in many Alpine valleys, the occurrence of 
hybrids between them is surprisingly rare, agrees very well with 
my own observations as to the rarity of this hybrid in Britain 
Kerner names a few Continental localities in which he has fou 
it, but adds that its rarity is not confined to the valleys of the 
* Oester. bot. Zeitach. vol. xv. (1875) p. 80. 
