142 



this region, as already stated. And Vagnera, Arisaema and 

 Geranium seem to be holding their own very well. 



Of course it might be said that the absence of any given species 

 from such a small and long-settled region, with only five or six 

 square miles of natural vegetation left, has no particular sig- 

 nificance. But many of the species which are scarce here are 

 equally scarce in much larger areas in the same latitude, and 

 probably for the same reasons. 

 College Point, L. I. 



NOTES REGARDING VARIABILITY OF THE ROSE 



MALLOWS 



A. B. Stout 



The swamp rose mallows usually classed as Hibiscus Moscheiitos 

 grow in abundance along the coastal region of the eastern 

 United States, extending inland in somewhat scattered stations 

 to Missouri. The tall vigorous growth of the plant w^ith the 

 production of numerous, large, gayly colored and conspicuous 

 flowers makes it a noticeable and popularly well-known feature 

 of the vegetation. 



In regard to numbers, what may perhaps be considered as a 

 climax development for the species is seen in marshes along the 

 coast of southern New Jersey, especially in the vicinity of Sea 

 Side. Here, a casual surve}^ of the population of mallows will 

 reveal marked variations. Especially is this the case in color 

 of flowers which may range from white to a rather solid intense 

 red with numerous grades of intermediate pinks and with various 

 types of eye coloration combined variously with blade colors. 

 One feature of this variation was recognized in the proposal of 

 a new species by Britton (1903) which was named Hibiscus 

 oculiroseus, and by the observation that hybridization between 

 this and the ordinary pink-flowered form of H. Moscheictos 

 results in an Fi hybrid generation that is intermediate and which 

 is of a form frequently seen in nature. 



In 1912, at the suggestion of Dr. N. L. Britton, the writer 

 began breeding experiments to determine various points regard- 



