26 PLANT HYBRIDIZATION BEFORE MENDEL 



The dissertation (Latin) opens with a somewhat brief philo- 

 sophical discussion of hybrids, particularly from the viewpoint 

 of whether or not "new species" could arise from genera. Cases 

 are given of 17 bigeneric crosses, 17 congeneric, 6 where con- 

 generic crosses gave rise to aberrations, such as crisping of the 

 leaves, etc., and 7 in the case of genera where the parentage is 

 uncertain. 



Veronica maritima 9 X Verbena officinalis ^ is described in 

 the greatest detail fp. 35), and is illustrated. (8b, pi. 11.) This 

 natural hybrid is reported as having been produced in the Bo- 

 tanical Garden at Upsala in 1750. The statement is made "neque 

 longe ab his lecta est haec nostra planta ^ , quae antea nulli Bo- 

 tanico visa est." (p. 3^.) The vegetative and flower characters 

 are described in some detail. The hybrid was perennial, bloomed 

 annually, and was multiplied easily by the roots, but had no 

 fruit ("nullos vero fructus maturat"). (p. 35.) 



This particular hybrid appears to have been derived from a but 

 slightly related parentage, viz., from the families Scrophulariaceae 

 and \'erbenaceae, respectively, belonging to the different sub- 

 groups Solaninae and Verbeninae of the Tubiflorae. Since its oc- 

 currence was made a subject for description, and since the date 

 of its appearance, and the observation of its characters (17^0) 

 precedes by ten years the hybrid Nicotiana paniculata ? X A^« 

 rustica ^ produced by Kol renter in 1760, it is of interest to pub- 

 lish the historical account, although as a matter of scientific fact 

 the Kolreuter hybrid marks the actual beginning of the genetics 

 investigation series. 



The description of the plant is as follows : 



In height, hoary color of the stem and leaves, smoothness of 

 the stem, structure of the spike, and color of the corolla, the plant 

 is stated to resemble the Veronica $ parent. If the flowers and 

 their color and the roundness of the stem were omitted, "the 

 most acute botanist would have considered it to be Verbena 

 itself" (p. 35) ; the leaves of the hybrid are said to have had 

 "exactly the same singular division, with deeply furrowed lobes" 

 (p. 35). The flowers are stated to have been smaller than those 

 of the female parent, and not larger than the flowers of Verbena', 

 the leaves "sometimes in threes, as in the 9 but more often oppo- 



