July 1, 18G3.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



147 



It will be observed that the phenomena above 

 described present themselves in health, and in the 

 absence of all excitement. 



Where these two conditions are wanting 1 , both 

 voluntary and involuntary spectra present them- 

 selves with greater frequency and distinctness. 

 Medical works abound in such cases, and Sir J. 

 Herschel gives several suggestive examples from 

 bis own personal experience, which space forbids 

 my quoting here. 



There is, however, one point to which be refers 

 which should not be overlooked. Whatever views 

 we may be disposed to entertain respecting either 

 tbe mental conditions in wbicb these phenomena 

 originate, or the external agencies by whicb these 

 conditions are produced or modified, there is reason 

 to believe that tbe appearances themselves are 

 really formed upon the retina of the eye, and thus 

 they may be fairly placed in the category of 



" THINGS ACTUALLY Seen." 



H. M. C. 



MOKE ABOUT PRIMROSES. 



X AST year there was a small discussion in the 

 ■*-* pages of Science-Gossip as to tbe origin of 

 the common Oxlip, Mr. Britten surmising it to be 

 a development of Primula vulgaris, whilst I looked 

 upon it as a hybrid with the Cowslip. Many corre- 

 spondents seemed interested in the subject, and I 

 bave myself paid more attention to it this spring ; 

 and I believe now that we were both of us right, 

 and that there are two distinct forms, or rather 

 origins, of the Oxlip ; one rightly called P. vulgaris — 

 b. caulescens, whicb is simply a Primrose become 

 umbellate ; and another, which is really a hybrid, 

 and should be called intermedia. I find, however, 

 that I am not the first to bave given it the name, 

 thougb I did not know this last year, and took 

 credit for it. I have found examples that have no 

 character in common with the Cowslip, and I have 

 a plant in my garden that I am pretty sure was an 

 ordinary Primrose last year, and this year produces 

 a few caulescent umbels amongst the simple scapes. 

 The flowers of this plant do not differ in the slightest 

 degree from those of a common Primrose, but other 

 Oxlips bave more or less the colour, odour, and 

 general characters of a Cowslip. 



Just as certain Oxlips may be developed Prim- 

 roses, there are others which it is only fair to suppose 

 may be developed Cowslips, and not hybrids ; for 

 one not unfrequently finds examples which only 

 differ from the Cowslip in size of flower, or in the 

 corolla being nearly flat instead of cup-shaped. 

 These may well be called P. veris—b. major. In 

 tbe "London Catalogue" that used to be published 

 by the extinct Botanical Society of London, the 

 arrangement of the genus Primula seems to me to 

 be very rational, and the one that should be adopted 



always. It is as follows, but I have added explana- 

 tory English names : — 



Prinmla vulgaris Common Primrose. 



„ „ b. caulescens Oxlip, developed form. 



„ „ c. intermedia Oxlip, hybrid form. 



„ elatior Bardfield Oxlip. 



„ veris Cowslip. 



„ „ b. major Oxlip, developed form. 



The leaves of Oxlips, as far as I have observed 

 (except P. veris— b. major), always resemble Primrose 

 leaves more than Cowslip leaves, being produced at 

 the base, and not ending abruptly. This favours the 

 theory of all Oxlips being caulescent Primroses ; 

 but I bave an instance of a true Cowslip with some 

 of its leaves so produced at the base as not to be 

 distinguishable from Oxlip leaves, and it is quite 

 possible that the leaves may always resemble tbose 

 of the hardier parent. 



I am very anxious to see the genuine P. elatior,. 

 and I should take it as a favour if some corre- 

 spondent would send me a flower and leaf of the 

 plant (if not too late), wrapped round with a little 

 clamp moss. My address is Mobberley, Knutsford. 



Amongst Primroses that I have observed this 

 spring, are some which are intermediate between 

 pin-centres and rose-centres ; the stamens and the 

 stigma being equal in height, and both half-way 

 down tbe tube of the corolla. 



Monstrous forms of Primroses, sucb as a second 

 perfect flower produced from the eye of the Prim- 

 rose, and examples where from three to six super- 

 numerary petals were formed amongst the others, 

 bave been very common this spring. I bave set it 

 down to a luxuriant growth induced by the ex- 

 cessively mild and moist winter we have had ; and 

 so early were the Primroses that I found many roots 

 in full flower in woods in the middle of December. 

 One Primrose was brought to me that had only 

 three petals. It gave the flower a very strange ap- 

 pearance, and looked very much like a small Trillium. 



Robert Holland. 



Variations in Leaves.— I do not know wbether 

 our Britisb plants are in any way affected by the 

 favour lately accorded to variegated leaves ; but I 

 have noticed many pretty variations in my walks 

 this year. A large elder tree had all its young leaves 

 beautifully variegated with green and yellow ; but 

 this is entirely confined to them, the later leaves 

 being of tbe usual colour. I may also mention a 

 branch of maple, with full-sized leaves, prettily 

 blotcbed with white and red ; and two small sprigs 

 of spindle tree, with leaves partly yellow and partly 

 green, in some cases balf of one colour and half of 

 another. The variation of elder is permanent ; the 

 others I have noticed this year for the first time. — 



B. 



o2 



