80 MR. C. DAEWIX Oil THE DliEORPHIC CONDITIO?)" 



proof of the permanence of the two forms is seen in nursery gar- 

 dens, where choice varieties of the Polyanthus are propagated by 

 division ; and T found whole beds of several varieties, each consisting 

 exclusively of the one or the other form. The two forms exist iu 

 the wild state in about equal numbers : I collected from several 

 different stations, taking every plant which grew on each spot, 

 522 umbels ; 241 were long-styled, and 281 short-styled. No dif- 

 ference in tint or size could be jjerceived iu the two great masses 

 of ilowers. 



1 examined many cultivated Cowslips (P. veris) or Polyanthuses, 

 and Oxllps ; and the two forms always presented the same differ- 

 ences, including the same relative difference in tlie size of the 

 pollen-grains. 



Frimula Auricula presents the two forms ; but amongst the 

 improved fancy kinds the long- styled are rare, as these are less 

 valued by florists, and seldomer distributed. There is a much 

 greater relative inequality in the length of the pistils and stamens 

 than in the Cowslip, the pistil in the long-styled form being neai-ly 

 fonr times as long as in the short-styled, in which it is barely 

 longer than the ovarium ; the stigma is nearly of the same shape 

 in both forms, but it is rougher in the long-styled, though the 

 difference is not so great as in the two forms of the Cowslip. In 

 the long-st}led plants the stamens are very short, rising but little 

 above the orarium. The poUen-grains of these short stamens from 

 the long-styled plants, when distended with water, were barely 

 gifdo of an inch in diameter, whereas those from the long stamens 

 of the short-styled plants were barely g-a'aoi showing a relative 

 difference of five to seven. The smaller grains of the long-styled 

 plants were much more transparent, and before distention with 

 water more triangular in outline than those of the other form. 

 In one anomalous specimen with a long pistil, the stamens almost 

 surrounded the stigma, so that they occupied the position proper 

 to the stamens of the short-styled form ; but the small size of the 

 pollen-grains showed that these stamens had been abnormally de- 

 veloped in length, and that the anthers ought to have stood at the 

 base of the corolla. 



In the two forms of Primula Sinensis, the pistil is about twice as 

 long in the one as in the other. The stigma of the long-styled 

 varies much in shape, but is considerably more elongated and 

 rougher than that of the short-styled, the latter being nearly 

 smooth and spherical, but depressed on the summit. The shape 

 of the throat of the corolla in the two forms differs as in the Cow- 



