March, 1922] BENEDICT — NEW VARIETIES OF NEPHROLEPIS I5I 
immediately stable in their own type. That is, there was no tendency to 
fluctuate toward the parent forms. It is also of interest, as has been noted 
by Babcock and Clausen {Genetics in Relation to Agriculture, pp. 315, 316), 
that these changes in leaf form and size occur independently of each other, 
indicating that the protoplasmic basis of the changes is also distinct — "to 
factor mutations in vegetative reproduction." 
Reversions from elegantissima-compacta. 
The form elegantissima-compacta has given rise to more distinct reversions 
than any other variety. It may be recalled here that it, like stiperbissima, 
represents a doubly progressive sport from Piersoni, showing both increased 
leaf division and reduction in size. In its dwarf character it does not have 
the foreshortened and congested aspect of superbissima, and its leaves are 
somewhat more divided, being twice pinnate-pinnatifid (PI. IX, fig. 2; 
PI. X, figs. 1-3). This division is also considerably more stable than that of 
Piersoni or superbissima, although reverting leaves occur not infrequently, 
and consequently seasonal changes may also occur. These, however, do 
not affect the type of the plant, which continues year after year to hold the 
characters of the original variation. By analogy from superbissima, we 
should expect at least the two types of reversion found in that plant, the 
production of a taller twice-pinnate plant and of a once-pinnate form. As a 
matter of fact, both these expected forms and one other have developed. 
The simplest form is a complete reversion to the once-pinnate condition, 
first found at the Pierson establishment and sold by them under the name 
"Dwarf Boston" (PI. X, fig. 4). This form is of about the same size as the 
primary progressive sport Scotti, and under some conditions rather closely 
resembles this. It has typically, however, more the appearance ol bos- 
toniensis in leaf form and habit. It is stable in that no divided leaves are 
produced from it. As it is somewhat taller than elegantissima-compacta, it is 
to be considered also a reversion in size as well as in division. 
Another distinct and definite reversion has been introduced under the 
name of ''John Wanamaker'' (or Wanamakeri) by Robert Craig of Phila- 
delphia (PI. X, figs. 1 3-1 8). This is an incomplete reversion in division in 
which some of the leaves are entirely once pinnate but considerably ruffled 
and wavy, while others are more or less lobed or even twice pinnate but also 
showing the ruffling. The leaves are taller and narrower than those of 
elegantissima-compacta, even when divided. The variety seems to represent 
reversion toward double division reaching only an intermediate condition. 
In its rufBed character it might be considered to present a progressive sport 
in this particular, but it seems more reasonable in this case to interpret this 
ruffling as a modification of leaf division. 
This same form has arisen several different times at the Pierson green- 
houses and also at Giatras's place in West Hoboken. These different ex- 
amples of this mutation vary a little in form and size, but are, in general, 
very like each other. 
