The Transmutation Theory Before Darwin. 21 



QUiN regards Datura Tatula L. as a variety of D. Stra- 

 monium L.^ 



Linnaeus^ species, therefore, embraced his varieties 

 and these varietates minores, which he would not allow 

 his pupils to investigate. But it was not proved that all 

 these smaller types had arisen from the species ; it merely 

 followed from his definition of species. And so long as 

 the Linnean species of the systematists provided them 

 with sufficient work there was no reason for them to 

 doubt his words or disregard his precept. But as the 

 study and description of the "species" particularly of the 

 European Flora gradually approached completion the 

 attention of naturalists inevitably turned in the direction 

 of the hitherto neglected Varietates minores. 



It soon became evident that these were much more 

 numerous than Linnaeus ever supposed ; moreover, that 

 they were distinguished by just as numerous and just 

 as definite characters as Linnean species. Their discov- 

 erers demanded for them the ''rank" of Linnean species 

 and elevated them to it. Some authors went so far as 

 to assert that by such discriminations they had created 

 new species. 



The best known example is afforded by Draba verna 

 which has been studied carefully by Jordan and by many 

 other independent investigators after him. Among the 

 latter I would mention De Bary whose results, which 

 are in full agreement with Jordan's were published after 

 his death, by F. Rosen in the Botanische Zeitung for 

 1S89. The European Flora includes about 200 (elemen- 

 tary) "species" of Draba which together constitute the 

 old species Verna and, so far, have remained constant 



^ It is most remarkable that in the Index Kewensis which was 

 published at Darwin's expense after his death no distinction is 

 drawn between varieties and synonyms. 



