136 



Ataz'is)}!. 



seeds. The transition from the red to the striped oscil- 

 lates round 25%, the transition from the striped to the 

 red is largely dependent on the degree of striping, which 

 points to the existence of factors as yet incompletely 

 understood. 



It may perhaps be mentioned here in anticipation that 

 the varieties of Hcsperis and Clarkia (i^ 15 and >5 16) 

 with striped flowers behave in the same way , whilst both 

 in Plantago (§ 17) and Linaria vulgaris peloria (§20) 

 tlie evers])orting variety is inconstant and reverts more 

 or less easily to the atavistic type. 



§ 15. HESPERIS MATRONALIS. 



The flowers of the dame's violet are violet as the 

 name indicates. There are three varieties on the market : 



a white flowered, a double, and a 

 dwarf variety, all of which are con- 

 stant so far as I know. A Forma 

 lilacina and a "mixed" sort are of- 

 fered in the catalogues. The plants 

 are perennial; if the seed is sown in 

 the spring, the majority of the plants 

 Avill not flower until the following 

 year; but if the seed is sown as soon 

 as it ripens, or is allowed to fall on 

 the ground instead of being harvested, 

 the plants generally flower the next 

 year. I have employed both of these methods at different 

 times. 



I obtained my seeds in 1890 from a mixed group 

 of white and violet flowered plants which were growing 

 in our Botanical Garden. I grew them for two genera- 



Fig. 24. Hesperis 

 matvonalis. A flow- 

 er of the pale finely 

 striped form, with 

 half of one of its 

 petals dark violet. 



