Origin of Wild Species 587 



It is worth while to note that as a monstrosity 

 this occurrence is extremely rare throughout the 

 whole vegetable kingdom, and only very few 

 instances have been recorded. 



Two cases of sudden mutations have come to 

 my knowledge, producing this same anomaly in 

 allied species. One has been already alluded to ; 

 it pertains to the common evening-primrose or 

 Oenothera biennis, and one is a species belong- 

 ing to another genus of the same family, the 

 great hairy willow-herb or Epilobium hirsutum. 

 I propose to designate both new forms by the 

 varietal name of cruciata, or cruciatum. 



Oenothera biennis cruciata was found in a 

 native locality of the 0. biennis itself. It con- 

 sisted of only one plant, showing in all its flow- 

 ers the cruciata marks. In all other respects it 

 resembled wholly the biennis, especially in the 

 pure green color of its foliage, which at once 

 excluded all suspicion of hybrid origin with the 

 purple 0. cruciata. Moreover in our country 

 this last occurs only in the cultivated state in 

 botanical gardens. 



Intermediates were not seen, and as the plant 

 bore some pods, it was possible to test its con- 

 stancy. I raised about 500 plants from its seeds, 

 out of which more than 100 flowered in the first 

 year. The others were partly kept through the 

 winter and flowered next year. Seeds saved in 



