446 Stout: The Origin of Dwarf Plants 



by the growth made the first year. The type appears to be only 

 slightly inconstant. Further breeding tests will determine if the 

 type becomes more constant by selection and if differences exist 

 between the progenies of different dwarf plants. 



There has been much discussion recently regarding the possibil- 

 ity of the association of hybridization with mutation especially in 

 the Oenotheras. The rather well-known history of Hibiscus 

 oculiroseus and its dwarf mutant is of significance in this respect. 

 The wild form of H. oculiroseus was originally found in a region in 

 which the species H. Moscheutos exhibits much polymorphism, 

 involving problems which the writer now has under investigation. 

 Its affiliations with this species are so evident that for some time it 

 was known as a variety. The several differentiating characters 

 possessed by H. oculiroseus have already been noted and w^hile 

 a few variations have been observed in my pedigreed cultures the 

 species breeds remarkably true to type. In fact the only variations 

 that have appeared have been among the progeny of the plant 

 giving dwarf plants, and none of the variations suggest that this 

 particular plant is a hybrid at least of the usual type. As far as 

 now known, H. oculiroseus has a limited distribution in nature and 

 since it is closely associated with H. Moscheutos it may well be 

 that it has been derived from this species. 



Mr. George William Bassett, owner of the William F. Bassett 

 nurseries, writes in 1915: "We have never, to my recollection, 

 observed any dwarf tendency in Hibiscus 'Crimson Eye.' Nor 

 have we had any occasion to throw any out for any cause." It 

 does not appear that dwarf forms have appeared in the cultivation 

 of the species. Mr. Norman Taylor reports to the writer that he 

 has observed in Long Island colonies of dwarf plants of the pink- 

 flowered form of H. Moscheutos. 



The evidence indicates that the dwarf form is of spontaneous 

 origin. There is no series of characteristics belonging to either 

 H. Moscheutos or the parent stock of H. oculiroseus that can be 

 considered as combining to produce the dwarf, an interpretation 

 given to the origin of Oe. gigas by Heribert-Nilsson (1912). The 

 immediate parent (0 No. i) of the dwarf plants possessed in slight 

 degree the characteristics of crinkled leaves and shortened inter- 



