414 Origin of Each Species Considered Separately. 



The tops of the flowering branches are also densely 

 clothed with leaves (Fig. 88). 



The remarkable thickness of the buds is clearly 

 brought out in our figures (Fig. 46 on p. 241). The 

 petals have not sufficient room for development in the 

 thick but short bud: they acquire in this way folds and 

 wrinkles which, even when the flower is fully open, are 

 never completely lost. As a result of this the flowers 

 are always rather unattractive, and not nearly so large 

 and bright and widely opened as in the parent species. 



The stem and branches in O. lata are weak, often 

 bent downwards with the tops heavily laden and usually 

 needing a stake to prevent their falling over. The lateral 

 branches flowering in September are frequently seen to 

 hang downwards; thereby heightening the characteristic 

 appearance of the species. The plants do not as a rule 

 attain a great height; seldom more than half that of 

 O. Lamarckiana. 



With all these peculiarities O. lata is perhaps that one 

 of the new species which differs most widely from the 

 parent form. Moreover it can be recognized in its ear- 

 liest youth no less certainly than easily (Plate IV and 

 Fig. 48 on p. 280). Doubtless as a result of these cir- 

 cumstances it Avas the first mutant which I noticed, 

 and the only one wdiich I found in my first crop of 

 1887. Since that date it has appeared every year as 

 a mutation. And as it can be seen so early in each crop 

 and as, therefore, it is not likely that it will be overlooked 

 to any large extent, the proportions in which it appears 

 may be regarded as established on a sufficiently firm 

 basis to admit of a comparison between the small differ- 

 ences in its "mutation coefficients" (See p. 338). I 

 found that these numbers vary considerably, often sink- 



