145 



examination 



to separate oS two recognisable forms within typical M. acttleata. 

 TLese may be termed : — a normalis, with obtnse or rounded suba- 

 cute leaf-segments and almost always short pedicels^ under 2 in. 

 long; and B ^~ --^-^ ~ — --^^~ -^"^ - ^ — ^ — ^" ^—- — ""*"- '- -i««^ 



almost always lone pedicels, 4-8 



Sim 



panjing tlie central stem. Tlie two characters, shape of leaf- 

 seg-ment and length of pedicel, do not, however, run absolutely 

 concurrently ; that afforded by the pedicels will be remarked upon 

 later in another connection. The form ft acutiloha is compara- 

 tively rare. 



Professor Balfour has observed that in the Edinburgh Alpine 

 Garden M, aculeata develops simple radical scapes m addition 

 to a central stem more readily in early shooting individuals than 

 in late, a circumstance which has suggested a possible temperature 

 check of the terminal scape. This suggestion is supported by the 

 fact that destruction of the terminal sci.pe in the course o± tJi'e 

 flowering season's growth always results in the production of pro- 



xxie xurxu luui.a.ed above as var. nam, which is also apparently 

 rare, is on a different footing. Itcan be readily distinguished 



fuse basal laterals. 



form 



account of its small size, but by having a «lf ^^V't . L. he 

 breaks up iuto a tufted mass of fibrous roots, which replace the 



stout vertically descending carrot-like stock .^^^^P^^X^.d bv a 

 type. The earliest record of this d-arf jarie y is ftorced b^ 



I^nsTford Bridge from the 



of 



LiTe^pooi Botanic Garden notWng ;s knouB of " ^ ^ "'^ 



this particular plant, which lias hitherto ^'^^^^'^''^yXt^'^f 

 BtuntJd example^f typical M. aculeata. ^ccentlr, hoj>e er 



more light ha] bee^n thrown upon tto forn. I^^fO -^^.X^ 



were sent to Kew by Lieut, tx. 1). tierosiora, xu ,, ^ ^ 



stationed at Jullunder ^-^^^^^^f^.^^t^i^^^^^^^ 

 of small Blue Poppy gathered in C^-^^^^y/^^Xn of 9000 ft. 

 flowers light blue; ^<>^^,^ f'^'^fJ^^Z^f^^^^^^ that 



and upwards in damp s^^^^^T, ^fl^^^ iX nX vear ?' Biennial 

 has beln covered with snow till ^f ^'^ .^^J^^yea, "^^^ered at Kew 

 like the tvpe, the plants ^^'^^^^ .^'"'f.^^'X^^^^^^ 3-5 in. 



late in Junl 1909, al t^/ P/^^^^^^Vrootf ^ P "e of the thick 

 high, and 5i^^i?? / ,1^^* J,5a The rednction in size extends 



green, as in M aculeate proper^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^.^^^ 



Instances of deviation from mnoun p^^^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^ 



though not unknown - f ^.^f ^^y one abnormal flo.^r on 

 noted m June, 1909, incie svus . ,. . i four normally dis- 



the plant. In this flower there were «Sj\lf ";„''i3tituting an 'inner 

 posed, «na other four cons^erablj^mato.c^.^^ ^^^ g^^^^ ^^^^^ 



whorl again disposed in two P»';» «^J^^t>„„, ,h,t there was one 

 Their nature was suggested bj tne cm 



B 



