164 Genetic Behaviour of the Hybrid Primula Kewensis 



the depression of altitude the plant becomes large, more robust, 

 quite glabrous, often mealy, and the bracts foliaceous. General 

 Sir J. M'^Donald sent me many years ago samples of the plant from 

 the Khyber Pass. These in my opinion break down the separation 

 of P. verticillata (the Abyssinian member of this series) from 

 P. Jior-ibunda." A further statement differing slightly in detail is 

 given in J. R. H. S., Nov. 1914, p. 2G3. 



P. flonhunda var. isabellina. This variety was brought out by 

 Haage and Schmidt in 1897, and was described by them as having 

 pale sulphur coloured flowers. We have not been able to obtain any 

 further information as to its origin. It is recessive to the full yellow 

 form, and exists both in the thrum and pin form. 



P. verticillata. PI. XXV, fig. 2. Whole plant covered with meal. 

 On the seedlings, before meal develops, short glandular hairs can be 

 seen, as in Kewensis, and may be made visible in the full grown plant by 

 dissolving the meal in alcohol. Leaves spathulate, 6 — 12 in. long, with 

 long broad petioles, acutely toothed. Scapes 9 inches high and upwards, 

 superposed whorls subtended by 4 — 6 leafy bracts. Flowers pale yellow. 

 Corolla tube 1 inch long. Sweet scented. Homostyled : the anthers 

 at the mouth of the corolla tube, the stigma at the same level or 

 slightly protruding. Pollen 6"1 /j. in diameter, uniform in size. Habitat 

 Abyssinia. Figured in B. M., t. 6042, vol. 29, 3rd series. 



P. Kewensis. Sterile diploid hybrid. PI. XXV, tig. 3. This hybrid 

 was described in the Gard. Chron. Mar. 3, 1900, p. 130. From this 

 description we have made the following abstract : Leaves 6—8 in. long, 

 obovate-spathulate, with a long petiole-like base, the margins wavy and 

 dentate, slightly mealy, otherwise glabrous. Scapes numerous, 12 inches 

 long, with from 2 — 4 whorls of large leafy bracts, subtending whorls of 

 from 6 — 10 flowers. Corolla tube 1 inch long, faintly mealy, bright 

 yellow. Figured in Gard. Chron. March 1900, p. 195. It appears 

 from this figure that the anthers were at the mouth of the tube. 



P. Kewensis. PL XXVIII, figs. 9 and 10. Fertile tetraploid hybrid. 

 As above but of more robust habit, leaves broader. In the F^ hybrids 

 the meal is confined to the calyx and corolla tube, but in succeeding 

 generations there is great variation in the amount of meal. P. Kewensis 

 v.farinosa, an interesting derivative variety, first raised by Messrs Veitch, 

 is mealy all over. Short glandular hairs are present, as in verticillata. 

 Sweet .scented. The anthers are in the thrum position but the style 

 varies in length. Pollen from 61 — 66 /i. We have examined a very 

 large number of Kewensis plants of our own growing, and we have also 



