{Reprinted from TorREYA, Vol. 17, No. 8, August, 1917. ] 
NOTES REGARDING VARIABILITY OF THE ROSE 
MALLOWS 
A. B. STOUT 
The swamp rose mallows usually classed as Hibiscus Moscheutos 
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 with 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 survey 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. Moscheutos 
results in an F,; 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- 
