THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
39 
known to do. We should be inclined to call these latter segre- 
gates, forms, and to deny them even the rank of a sub-species. It 
seems quite probable that every good species is like O. Lamar cki- 
ana, constantly throwing out these embryo species ; indeed the 
whole theory of evolution is based upon this supposition. Dar- 
win was of the opinion that the changes were small and succes- 
sive; the later idea is that they are much greater and the forms fix- 
ed when once a change is made. In either event, as shown by the 
article in question, unless the conditions are favorable, the tenta- 
tive species perish and leave no sign. The difference is princi- 
pally that the Danvinian theory conceives of the plants varying, 
because of influences from the outside, while the new one assumes 
that plants constantly vary but that outside influences are neces- 
sary to preserve the variations. It seems that here we have a 
very good criterion for the determination of species. If any of 
these new forms could live and thrive under normal conditions, 
we would call them species ; if not, then they would be classed as 
varieties or forms. None of these segregates of O. Lamar ckiana 
were able to form separate colonies, even in soil untenanted by 
the original species. It would occur to most students therefore, 
that they are merely equivalent to what are called "forms" in 
America. The whole subject is one of much interest, and botan- 
ists may find in the cultivation of other mutable species, a field for 
much original research. 
The official organ of the ''Wildflower Preservation Society of 
America" makes a bad matter worse by explaining that as soon 
as this second society was organized, it invited the original Bos- ^ 
ton Society to become one of its local branches ! Some people 
w^ll be inclined to wonder if the American Forestry Association 
and other societies received a similar invitation. 
The Plant World, Washington, D. C, offers a prize of $10.00 
for the best cover design for the magazine submitted before Nov. 
I, 1902. 
Mr. C. G. Lloyd has just issued a 44 page pamphlet illustrated 
with 80 figures on the Geasters or earth-stars of North America . 
