452 The Systematic Value of the New Species. 



base. Those on the stem bent down- 

 wards. (Fig. 54, 62) 6. O.gigas. 



B. Round, stumpy, slightly toothed, but 

 usually with an incurved edge (Fig. 57, 

 58, 88, 89) 1. O. lata. 



III. A little narrower. 



A. Green. 



1. Smooth, without crumples. 



a) Of normal length, flat 8. (9. laevi folia. 



b) Small, median vein broad, whitish 



(Fig. 54) . . . 9. 6>. sci7itillans. 



2. Uneven; radical leaves narrow with a 

 broad vein; leaves on the stem sessile 



and with a broad base (Fig. 54) . . 10. O. oblonga. 



B. Whitish. 



1. Often with red veins; broadest in the 

 middle, bracts folded longitudinally 



(Fig. 54) 11. (9. riibrinervis . 



2. Sessile with a narrow base; only the 



lower leaves stalked (Figs. 54, 57) . 12. O. albida. 



IV. Very narrow. 



A. Lanceolate, long, often ten times as long 



as broad (Fig. 83) 13. 6>. elliptica. 



B. Almost linear, small (Fig. 85, 86) . . 14. O . subh7iearis . 



To turn now to the flowers ; I have already stated 

 above that their size depends largely on the strength of 

 the plant which bears them. They exhibit both indi- 

 vidual and partial variability and follow Quetelet's 

 law in these respects. A very striking fact is that their 

 size gradually diminishes during the flowering period 

 (which lasts from July till October) and that at the end 

 of it they sometimes sink to % or even half their orig- 

 inal size. This is obviously determined by the exhaustion 

 of the plant by fructification ; for O. hrevistylis, which 

 sets practically no seed and often goes on flowering 

 until well into November, bears large and bright flowers 

 even at that time. The flowers are smaller on the lat- 

 eral branches if the main stem is laden with fruits. But 



