390 MR. W. AND MISS A. BATESON ON FLORAL VARTATIONS 
I. LINARIA SPURIA. 
This plant, together with Z. Elatine, is very common in both 
barley and wheat stubbles on heavy land round Cambridge, 
though almost, if not quite, absent from lighter soil. In the 
course of examination of a very large number of specimens of 
L. Elatine, not a single abnormal flower was found ; while in the 
ease of L. spuria a great proportion of plants bear abnormal 
flowers. The figures at our disposal do not justify an accurate 
statement as to the percentage of plants bearing flowers of other 
than normal form, but we are well within the mark in saying 
that these are not less than thirty per cent. of the whole number 
of individuals. 
The area examined is bounded by the Ely road on the one 
side and the Madingley road on the other, extending for about 
four miles from Cambridge. It contains a great number of 
stubbles, and Z. spuria and L. Elatine are very common in 
nearly all. The proportion of abnormal flowers was about the 
same in all parts of the area investigated ; but in the case of a 
single locality lying in the parish of Landbeach (outside the 
area defined above) no abnormal flower was found. All the 
specimens in this place were of unusual habit, having erect 
stems, some 10 inches in height, in addition to the usual pro- 
cumbent stems. Upon these plants no abnormal flowers were 
found; and, speaking generally, the plants in other loealities 
which had erect stems bore normal flowers only. Specimens 
of this description were not common in the district. Besides 
the erect position of the stem, these plants also are remarkable 
for the peculiar pale green colour and flannel.like texture of 
the leaves. 
Normat Frowrer. (Plate L. figs. 1 & 2.) 
Å normal corolla of L. spuria is pentamerous and bilabiate, 
being composed of two posterior petals and three anterior ones. 
The two posterior petals are of a dark-purple colour on the 
inside, while the anterior petals are primrose-colour in their 
free portions, shading to a darker tint towards the interior of 
the flower; the slight inflations which occur at the points of 
union of the lower petals are also orange-yellow. Between the 
posterior petals and the anterior ones there is on either side à 
