58 Rhodora [March 



case, though of rarer occurrence. In September, 1904, I received 

 from Mr. Theo. Hohn a package of about fifteen live plants, which 

 he called the Washington form of V. fimbriatula. As they developed 

 during the past summer, they all manifested a mixture of the charac- 

 ters of V. emnrglnafn and T. fimbriatula, and yet could be easily 

 marked off into four classes, as follows : 



A. Leaves somewhat deltoid as in V. emarginata, quite coarsely toothed 

 at base, margins ciliate, base truncate or in the larger leaves slightly 

 cordate, petioles sparingly pubescent; most capsules completely 

 sterile, one yielded ten seeds. 



B. Leaves ovate-oblong as in V. fimbriatula, obscurely serrate, margitis 

 and petioles pubescent, base strongly decurrent, — entire outline 

 suggesting that of V. primulifolia: capsules many and all fertile. 



C. Leaves deltoid, ciliate, truncate, with sinuately toothed margins; 

 capsules numerous, fertile, 16-20 mm. long. 



D. Leaves ovate-oblong, truncate, ciliate; capsules fertile, 8-12 mm. 

 long.* 



30. V. EMARGINATA X SAGiTTATA. — Between these two glabrous 

 species the only difference is in leaf-outline. Marked intermediates 

 have been observed, without loss of fertility. — Chester Co., Pa., col- 

 ony no. IS, June 21, 1903, W. Stone, 1. c, p. 685; Brookland, D. C, 

 Sept. 28, 1904, Theo. Holm (I have grown several plants of this the 

 past season); along the Raritan R. R., Milltown, N. J., Aug. 20, 1904, 

 Eggleston & Brainerd, associated with both parents and apart from 

 V . fimbriatula. 



V . palmata, V. pnpilionacea, and T'. .tororia furnish another triad 

 quite analogous to that just described. These common species, how- 

 ever different in extreme instances, especially when found outside of 

 each other's range, seem to be confluent when growing together. No 

 sharp line can be drawn between V. sororia and V. papilionacea; I 

 find many plants of the Middle States that seem quite like the V. 

 sororia of Vermont, but they are usually called "pubescent V. papil- 

 ionacea," "entire-leaved V. palmata," or sometimes V. laetecaerulea; 

 much of the Vermont V. sororia Mr. Pollard used to name V. papi- 

 lionacea. V. palmata also, passes through the polymorphous pha.ses 

 of its "var. dilatata" into both V. sororia and V. papilionacea. In 



' I anticipatG that souk; will prefer to consider this a case of "mutation"; perhaps it 

 is, — one's interpretation of facts is so apt to be determined by his predisposition of mind. 



