226 The Pedigree Families. 



§ 3. THE MUTATIONS IN THE LAMARCKIANA-FAMILY. 



I shall now describe the mode of origin and the more 

 important characters of the seven new species mentioned 

 in the table. 



I. O. gigas.^ A vigorous plant with broad leaves, 

 large flowers and short fruits and, so to speak, better in 

 habit than O. Lamarckiana in every respect. It has the ap- 

 pearance of being just as well fitted for the struggle for 

 existence as any species of the genus to which it belongs. 



Even the radical leaves of quite young plants betray 

 the identity of the new type. They are broad with a 

 broad base which passes into the petiole abruptly instead 

 of gradually as in the case of Lamarckiana. The leaves 

 that appear later possess this character in a less degree, 

 but it is always recognisable. The form of the leaf is 

 moreover very much more variable than in any other 

 form of the subgenus Onagra; examples with very nar- 

 row and others with very broad leaves occur in quite 

 small groups of individuals. 



Its stem is thicker than, though about the same height 



^ With regard to the nomenclature it must be mentioned that 

 my plants are burdened with a formidable series of synonyms from 

 the very moment that they appear. Some authors regard O. La- 

 marckiana as a variety of O. biennis. Others separate the subgenus 

 Onagra as a distinct genus. O. gigas has therefore ihe following 

 equally legitimate synonyms ; • 



O. gigas. 



Oenothera Lamarckiana gigas. 



Oenothera biennis gigas. 



Oenothera biennis Lamarckiana gigas. 



Onagra gigas. 



Onagra Lamarckiana gigas. 



Onagra biennis gigas. 



Onagra biennis Lamarckiana gigas. 



The same is true of the other new forms. It may also be noted that 

 Oenothera is written by many authors Onothera, whilst Lamarckiana 

 mav be written lamarckiana or Lamarkiana. 



