44 



The Journal of Heredity 



INDIVIDUAL LEAVES FROM A VARIEGATED OLEANDER PLANT 



The variegated leaves with their alternate white or golden and green stripes present an at- 

 tractive appearance among the plain leaves of the ordinary variety. (Fig. 31.) 



tings. It is as easy to propagate in 

 this way as the willow. The plants are 

 usually gi\en very little attention in 

 this vicinity after planting except ade- 

 (|uate irrigation. In the northern and 

 eastern parts of the United States the 

 WTiter has frecjuently oljserved olean- 

 ders grown in tubs for summer decora- 

 tion and commonly used as house 

 plants. The oleander is sup^posed to be 

 a native of India. 



The leaves of tlie plants observed 

 by the writer have been usuall\- borne 

 in twos and threes, are lanceolate 

 and have an olive-green col«)r. In 

 some plants the leaves are commonK- 

 ovate or obtuse. 



Frequently, variegated or striped 

 leaves are found on branches (A the 

 f)rdinary green plants. These branches 

 with alternate white or golden and 



green stripes have a very striking ap- 

 pearance. These branches, according 

 to local propagators, when rooted, pro- 

 duce the striped or variegated plants 

 which are usualK- considered to be more 

 ornamental than the green form. 



On the Narbonne ranch in the 

 Coachella Valley of Southern Cali- 

 fornia, in a row of the ordinar\- olean- 

 ders with green foliage, the writer 

 found a variegated plant of muisual 

 beauty and attractiveness, as shown in 

 Fig. 29. Inasmuch as all of the plants 

 in the row had been propagated from 

 cuttings, it is reasonable to assume 

 that the variegated plant arose from the 

 accidental propagation of a bud t^port. 

 In the variegated plant individual 

 branches were ol)served with the green 

 foliage characteristic of the ordinary 

 variety, as shown in l*"ig. M). .Ml of 



