FOUR COMMON FLOWERS 173 



An allied species is the mosslike Verbena eri- 

 coides, often called "Moss Verbena," which is an 

 exceedingly pretty plant growing wild in the 

 high Chilean mountains. In California it pro- 

 duces seed too abundantly and hence multiplies 

 so rapidly that it becomes almost a weed. It is 

 possible that new and interesting varieties of 

 verbena may be produced by hybridizing the 

 familiar cultivated ones with some of the many 

 wild species that have not hitherto been brought 

 into the combination. 



CARNATIONS, OR PINKS 



It is rather anomalous that a plant should bear 

 at the same time two popular names suggestive 

 of colors so different as pink and carnation and 

 the anomaly is not lessened by the fact that the 

 plant itself bears flowers not only of the colors 

 suggested but also of the purest white. 



Despite the paradox, however, the Dianthus 

 fully justifies its popular names, for specimens 

 are of the most vivid carnation and others are of 

 the most beautiful pink. Meantime the white 

 ones are just as beautiful. 



Our studies of other flowers have made it seem 

 commonplace enough that a plant should show 

 such diversity. But the carnation as represented 

 by one of my hybrid varieties, presents a color 



