KNOWLEDGE OF THE MUTATING OEXOTHEEAS. 13 



S 



Sepal tips appressed; plant biennial. Stem-leaves numerous and crowded, 



excurved-ascending, lower leaves 9-10 cm. long, lanceolate-oblong, tip 

 very acute ; petiole and midvein broad, the latter somewhat succulent. 



Leaves densely ciuereous-pubescentj blue-green 0. canovirens. 



Petals rhombic-oA-ate, 12-25 mm. long. Stem-leaves narrowly lanceolate, 



acuminate, denticulate or subentire 



Petals 15-20 mm. long, light yellow; sepal tips 3 mm. long. Plants 



strigose and somewhat villous ; stigma-lobes flattisb, spreading . . 0. strigosa. 



O. rhomb' pecala 



Petals 9-15 mm. long ; leaves narrow in most races but broad in certain 



races 



0. murlcata. 



Whole plant hoary-pubescent or somewhat silky var. canescens. 



Petals about 8 mm. long. 



Sepal tips about 3 mm. long, style short, petals broad (9 mm.) ... 0. parviflora. 



Sepal tips about 3 mm. long, style short, petals cruciate var. cruciata. 



Sepal tips less than 1 mm. long, style short, petals broad ; stigma-lobes 



teretish, ascending 0. cheradophila 



Petals lanceolate, style long, foliage soft-pubescent O. Heribaudi. 



The following salient features of these species, as far as they can be judged from 

 present knowledge, may he pointed out ; 



O. Simsiana is sharply distinguished by its large flowers with short style. 



0. Drummondii and O. Jamesii have more or less decumbent stems, the former being 

 very distinct with its short, ovate-elliptical leaves; the lattei- nearly agreeing with 

 O. LmmrcUcma in foliage characters, but apparently differing chiefly in its decumbent 



stem and greater pubescence. 



O. MacBridece is apparently nearest to O. grandiflora, from which it differs chiefly 



in its narrower leaves and somewhat shorter style *. 



0. macrosceles comes nearest O. Jamesii and O. Lamar chiana in foliage, but differs 

 from the former in its upright stem, and from both in being nearly glabrous. 



O. argillicola is sharply set apart from 0. grandijlora by its very narrow, linear-oblong 



leaves. 



• Since the above was written I have been able, through the kindness of Professor Nelson, who sent me seeds, to 

 grow this species and study its characters. The foUowing uotca are appended from my observations on this species. 



Cotyledons very long and narrow, twice the length of related forms. Eosettea of characteristic rather broadly 

 lanceolate-oblong leaves. Central stem erect, surrounded by many long spreading branches from the rosette. 

 Cauliue leaves long and narrow, pointed, pale green, midrib white, surface smooth, margin rejiand-denticulate. 

 B:}T)anthium, bud-cone, and ovary closely set with long hairs arising from faint red papillae. Sepals pale pink with 

 touches of red on the hypanthium, sepal tips short and closely appressed. Petals 44 mm. long by 52 mm. broad, 

 emarginate, length of bud-cone 40 mm., diameter of cone at base 9 mm., length of hypanthium 48 mm., ovary 

 19 mm., sepal tips 4 mm., thickness of ovary 3-3'5 mm., thickness of hypanthium 3 mm. Base of stigma usually 



some distance above the stamens. 



The buds of these plants were apparently not so nearly glabrous as ono might judge from Nelson's description. 

 The plants do not resemble 0. grandijlora closely in buds or in foliage, nor do they come in the biennis series, since 

 they have larger flowers and longer styles. 



