New Species of Oenothera 533 



quently almost cordate, the laminae themselves 

 varying from oblong-ovate to ovate in outline. 



The stems are often quite unbranched, or 

 branched only at the base of the spike. Strong 

 secondary stems are a striking attribute of the 

 lamarcMcma parent, but they are lacking, or 

 almost so in the dwarfs. The stem is straight 

 and short, and this, combined with the large 

 crown of bright flowers, makes the dwarfs emi- 

 nently suitable for bed or border plants. Un- 

 fortunately they are very sensitive, especially 

 to wet weather. 



Oenothera gigas and 0. ruhrinervis, or the 

 giant, and the red-veined evening-primroses, are 

 the names given to two robust and stout spe- 

 cies, which seem to be equal in vigor to the 

 parent-plant, while diverging from it in strik- 

 ing characters. Both are true elementary 

 species, differentiated from lamarckiana in 

 nearly all their organs and qualities, but not 

 showing any preponderating character of a 

 retrograde nature. Their differences may 

 be compared with those of the elementary 

 species of other genera, as for instance, of 

 Drab a, or of violets, as will be seen by their 

 description. 



The giant evening-primrose, though not taller 

 in stature than 0. lamarckiana, deserves 

 its name because it is so much stouter in all re- 



