116 
C. E. Salmon. 
Shape of ripe capsule. Whilst these were decidedly of dubium 
shape they were always smaller, slightly more parallel sided and with 
a faint though distinct “ neck ” near the base (Fig. 4) recalling Rhccas. 
Seeds. In all the plants discovered capsules were produced or 
in process of being formed but in all the mature ones examined* 
although there was plenty of seed of a dust like character not a 
single fertile one was to be found. 
It is perhaps normal in the genus Papaver for hybrids to prove 
usually sterile and this may account for the comparative rarity of the 
one now described considering the overlapping areas and often 
extreme abundance of both parents. 
In Gard. Chron., Aug. 17, 1918, p. 67, it is stated in a note by 
Mr. S. Arnott that a hybrid between Papaver orientate and P. 
rupifragum has not been observed to produce any perfect seeds 
although it forms seed capsules. 
In Hooker’s Student's Flora (ed. 3, 17, 1884) we find “ A form 
entirely intermediate between P. dubium and P. Rhccas has been 
found in Surrey by Mr. G. Nicholson.” By the kindness of 
Professor Trail of Aberdeen University where Nicholson’s 
Herbarium is preserved, I have been able to examine a series of 
the “ intermediates’’ to which Hooker refers. 
The examples are all from “ Cornfield, Ham, Surrey ’’ and were 
collected in July, 1881. There are undoubted specimens of typical 
P. dubium and P. Rhccas and a number of sheets of the latter 
possessing capsules rather more elongated than usual, very like my 
f. 7 ; I do not think these are of hybrid origin. One sheet, however, 
contained a specimen that 1 should consider Rhccas x dubium, 
although the material is not so complete as one would wish. 
The Rev. E. F. Linton ( jfourn. Bot., 1907, 270) has referred to 
Mr. Nicholson’s plant and mentioned that he saw P. Rhccas in 
Norfolk “with similar intermediate capsules” but “did not arrive 
at any conclusion.” 
In 1911 Mr. C. E. Britton distributed a Poppy gathered at 
Banstead, Surrey ( B.E.C . Report , 1911, 67) and the majority of 
those to whom it was referred considered it P. Rhccas x dubium. 
1 have lately, in the light of my Chilworth notes, re-examined my 
example of this poppy (supplemented by other specimens kindly 
lent me by Mr. Britton), and, whilst still of the opinion that the 
plant (Ref. No. 197) was of hybrid origin, I find it shows more 
evidence of Rhccas in buds, peduncles and hairs than my Chilworth 
