1904] Blanchard, — A New Species of Blackberry 223 



V. sororia. Apparently my troublesome plant is a cross between 

 these two species, both of which were growing in the immediate 

 vicinity. 



The same hybrid was found when in flower last spring in two other 

 stations, associated with the parents. In both cases plants were 

 transferred to the garden, and developed characters during the 

 autumn that are in perfect accord with their supposed origin. 



I have gone, somewhat tediously I fear, into these details of per- 

 sonal experience, as I have felt that I could in no other way ade- 

 quately present the great mass of circumstantial evidence that to my 

 mind establishes the theory of occasional hybridism in this group of 

 plants. And this evidence, as the instances increase in number, has 

 a cumulative force. A single instance of a plant nearly sterile and 

 quite intermediate between two associated species might not bring 

 conviction as to its hybrid origin. But when forty or more such 

 cases are observed, always under similar •circumstances, the evidence 

 has a logical force well nigh irresistible. 



Along the southern New England coast and farther south are 

 found at least six other species of Viola in the same group with the 

 five under discussion. Are these six species equally guilty of hybrid- 

 ism with each other, and with any of the five here discussed with 

 which they may chance to associate ? This is a question so grave 

 and so complicated as to require a separate paper for its discussion. 



MiDDLEBURY COLLEGE. 



Explanation of Plate 58. — Viola fimbriatula X septeiitrionalis : a, 

 autumnal state showing open capsule with seven seeds and numerous 

 aborted ovules. V. Jimdria/feld, ]. K. Smith : d, leaf; r, mature capsule ; </, 

 same open, showing normal number of seeds. V. septeniriotiali^, Greene : 

 €, leaf; /", mature capsule; g^ same open, showing normal number of seeds. 



A NEW SPECIES OF BLACKBERRY. 



W. H. Blanchard. 



I WISH to report a new blackberry which I think is sufficiently 

 common and wide-spread, as well as constant in its characteristics, 

 to merit a name and take its place with the five or six best marked 

 North American species. Probably every botanist in New England 



