8 
The Irish Naturalist. 
January, 
produce only one form, and that with very shght variations. 
At Haxey the plants are all on the small side, but they vary 
considerably in leaf cutting and in length of style ; some 
are extremely near inundatum, but are (as appears from 
style-character and lowest leaves without capillary seg- 
ments) really Moorei. This means probably (if the hybrid 
explanation is right) that in most localities the stock has 
originated from one crossing, which has been propagated 
vegetatively only ; but at Haxey there have either been 
several original hybrid-plants, all of which have been re- 
produced vegetatively, or else the plant produces fruit ; 
or it ma}^ be that the ' hybrid ' has crossed with one of the 
' parents,' perhaps more than once. 
The above description has already indicated some of my 
reasons for considering it more probable that the plant is 
a hybrid than otherwise. They may be summed up as : — 
1. ( Treat range of variation in habit and facies. This is 
remarkably impressed on the mind if a line is taken from 
the ordinary luxuriant Irish forms (e.g., those from R. Boyne, 
Kilrea, L. Erne, Tuam, Downpatrick, etc.) through those 
from Derrymore, Castleconnell, and Renishaw to the curious 
little form (apparently characteristic of the Shannon area) 
from Portumna and Woodford. 
2. Great variability in foliage, which may be traced in 
the same series of plants. In specimens from Portumna all 
the foliage is of approximately one character, and near that 
of nodiflorum, though even here the lower leaves are more 
divided than the upper. In one specimen from Lough Erne 
(Herb. Babington) the segments of the lower leaves are 
capillary. 
3. Sterility, almost absolute or absolute. (This has per- 
sisted in one year's cultivation, fide Gliick). The fruit (with 
the exception above noted), always after the fall of the 
petals, proceeds to wither and eventually to drop off before 
any signs of ripening or development take place. (But it 
must not be forgotten that vegetative reproduction would 
encourage sterility, as in Lysimachia Nummularia and 
Cardamine pratensis). 
4. Considerable vegetative development, as compared 
with slight floral development. There is hardly any ex- 
