438 The Systematic Value of the New Species, 



gra which is smooth at first, grows much faster than 

 the parts inside so that it acquires wrinkles and folds by 

 the pressure of the surrounding seeds (Fig. 98). As a 

 result of this there is great diversity in the form of the 

 seeds of the same loculus. In this respect the seeds of 

 the various species of Onagra are practically all alike. 



The fruit is an erect capsule which splits longitudi- 

 nally and contains many seeds. The flowers have a long 

 calyx-tube, are tetram- 

 erous and apparently 

 regular but exhibit as 

 a matter of fact, a 

 slight degree of zygo- 

 morphy which is most 

 pronounced in the fila- j 

 ments. Prophylls are 

 absent. 



The species which 

 bore these characters 

 were described and 

 named by Linnaeus. 

 They were O. biennis, 

 L., O. miiricata L., and 

 O. parvi flora L. To 

 these were added later 

 the well-known forms 



0. siiaveolcns Dcsf. (=0. grandiflora Ait.) and 0. La- 

 marckiana Ser. (^0. grandiflora Lamarck).^ Besides 

 these there belong to the group in question a whole series 

 of American forms which are little known in Europe. 



^ Although the name 0. grandiHora has -good claim to priorit}' 

 for both these species I do not propose to use it because it has already 

 given rise to a great deal of confusion. See Nederl. Kriiidk. Ar chief. 

 Aug. 1895. 



Fig. 98. Seeds. Lm, of O.Lamar chana, 

 seen from the back; Lm', seen from 

 the other side which has a sharp 

 ridge on it; g, O. gigas; r, O. riibri- 

 ncrvis; n, O. nanella; It, O. lata; a, 

 O. alhida; s, O. scintillans, opened 

 and empty ; h, the hard layer which 

 surrounds the inner lumen. 



