143 
ing the polymorphism observed in Hibiscus. Living plants were 
obtained of various forms found in nature. Self-fertilized prog- 
enies were grown to determine what forms breed true, and 
cross-pollinations were made between various forms and between 
various well recognized species in the attempt to reveal clews 
as to their relationship and to the variability that may arise 
in nature by natural crossing. 
These experiments have been prosecuted somewhat vigorously 
and as extensively as space in the experimental plots at the 
New York Botanical Garden would allow. The studies have 
revealed several facts that admit of a preliminary report at this 
time which may be of use to various observers in the field. The 
writer wishes to obtain as full information as possible regarding 
the regional and geographic variability of the species of Hibiscus 
growing in the eastern United States, especially of the two 
species H. Moscheutos and H. oculiroseus. Herbarium specimens 
are not very satisfactory for the identification of flower color, 
hence observations on this point should be made on living plants. 
In correspondence with persons who have very kindly made 
field observations for the writer, it had been a source of difficulty 
that there are no standard descriptions of forms. It is hoped 
that the following descriptions will be of use in this particular. 
More complete taxonomic descriptions of any that may be found 
to be species are reserved until later. 
Hisiscus MoscHEuTos 
The description of the general characteristics of this species 
may be given as presented in the second edition of the Illustrated 
Flora of the northern United States and Canada, by Britton and 
Brown. 
“Erect, 4°-7° high, forming numerous cane-like stems from a 
perennial root. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 3’—7’ long, 
cordate or obtuse at the base, acute or acuminate at the apex, 
the lower or sometimes all lobed at the middle, palmately veined, 
dentate or crenate, densely white stellate-pubescent beneath, 
green and glabrous or slightly stellate above; petioles 1’—5’ long; 
flowers 4’—7’ broad, pink, clustered on stout pedicels at the 
summits of the stems; peduncles often adnate to the petioles; 
