94 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 
tainly agrees with the latter in all essentials; yet it seems evident that 
the rosette leaves were narrower than in onr type. ^Moreover, according 
to the description, there were also secondary branches developed, which 
is not nsnally tlie case in onr present 0. Lamar Mana. The plants are 
also said to be the height of a man, which is rather higher than 0. 
Lamarckiana averages in cultures. I shall show later that the 0. 
Lamarckiana now growing wild on the coast north of Liverpool, Eng- 
land, must have originated from the early introduction of 0. Lamarck- 
iana from Yirginia, Avhile the 0. Lamarckiana of DeVries’ cultures is 
known to have come from Texas. In this connection it may be worth 
noting that this English 0. Lamarckiana in my cultures attains a some- 
Avhat greater height than the iilants of DeVries grown under the same 
conditions. These differences, however, are of quite minor value and 
the important features, such as the red papillae on the stem, the general 
shape of the rosette leaves, the large flowers and quadrangular buds, 
make it certain that the plant described by Bauhin cannot lie excluded 
from 0. Ijamarckiana Ser. and placed with one of the other species. 
This appendix to Bauhin ’s Pinax contains the oldest description of a 
North American Oenothera knoAvn to exist. Certainly A^ery feAV Ameri- 
can plants, if any, received so accurate a description at such an early 
date. As an early historic record of the plant this is about all that could 
he asked for ; and it is certainly much more complete and accurate than 
could liaA-e been expected. It shows that the claim frequenth^ made, 
that 0. Lamarckiana originated in cultiAmtion, eitlier through crossing 
or in any other Avay, is Avithout sufficient foundation. There has been so 
much obscurity and doubt regarding the origin and early history of 
0. Lamarckiana, tliat a description AAiiich proA^es that a plant closely 
resembling it, at least, originally grew AAuld in ‘‘Virginia” and AAms the 
first Evening Primrose introduced into Europe, must be regarded as of 
prime importance as an historical record. The fact that the details of 
De Vries’ Mutation Theory have been conceived on the basis of the be- 
haviour of this plant, gVes eA^ery item of its early history an added 
import. It should be stated that the fact that 0. Ijamarckiana Avas or- 
iginally AAuld does not preclude its liaAung arisen in nature through the 
crossing of races, although this is improbable for other reasons ; nor does 
it shoAV that crossing has not taken place since its introduction into 
gardens, for undoubtedly such crossing has taken place. But a discus- 
sion of these questions is not germane to the present subject, AAdiich is 
merely to trace the historic record of these plants. In regard to this 
earliest record it should be pointed out that this form could not have 
