No. :>3S I 



MUTATION IN (EN OTHER A 



The next specimen (3) in this series is one bearing the 

 label Onagra latifolia, flore dilutiore T. 302. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, it differs remarkably little from the two 

 specimens just described. The leaves and stem show no 

 visible difference at all, but the petals appear to have 

 been slightly smaller. The flowers differ markedly, 

 however, in having longer styles, so that the stigma pro- 

 jects some distance beyond the stamens. The stigma 

 lobes are also very short, differing conspicuously in this 

 respect from those of the specimens above. This speci- 

 men is something of a puzzle. It was apparently open- 

 pollinated because of its long styles. Yet its flowers 

 were no larger than those of the -European biennis.'' 

 It shows that races may have existed and disappeared, 

 which were quite different from anything we know at 

 present. Whether this form shall be classed with the 

 "European hicinis" on account of the size of its flow- 

 appears to be an arbitrary matter. Such specimens 

 serve to show that the range of "variability" of these 

 Oenotheras in certain directions may have been formerly 

 much greater than would be supposed from a study of 

 those races which have survived to the present day. 



Another interesting specimen (4) in this collection is 

 one marked Onagra latifolia Tourn. with the date 1743 

 and a number, 1082. I am indebted to Dr. Kendle for the 

 explanation of the history of this specimen. Sir Hans 

 Sloane contributed to the Herbarium of the Royal So- 

 ciety each year for a number of years, fifty specimens 

 from plants grown at the Chelsea Physic Garden, and 



therlfoTrgro^n the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1743. 

 It is apparently the same as specimens (1) and (2) al- 

 ready described as probable types for the "Hort. Cliff." 



base, others are apparently sessile with broadened base. 



The next specimen (5) has the same history as the 

 last. It bears the date 1779 and the number 2878. The 



