190 On the Species of the Genus Primula in Essex. 
borne on the same off-shoots as the solitary flowers have 
developed leaves, or are in some other way irregular. The 
calyx of the cultivated umbellate Polyanthus is often foliated. 
In fig. 4 all these variations are shown upon one plant. 
These solitary flowers are also subject to other minor varia¬ 
tions—particularly to malformation. For instance, a few of 
the earliest short-styled flowers I saw seemed to be devoid 
of some of their stamens, one had a narrow petal growing 
up among its stamens, another had several petals (two of 
which were partly green and inclined towards leaves) growing 
up with the calyx far below the rest of the petals. Some¬ 
times the tube of the corolla is split down one side, and the 
petals on one side of the split are placed a quarter of an inch 
or so higher than those on the other. The style is also very 
often imperfectly developed, causing a considerable number 
to be equal-styled, as may be seen from the table in 
Section III. On two occasions this spring I saw a single 
flower of what is often called the “ Hose-in-Hose ” aberration 
(prolification), which I have never before heard of as growing 
in a wild state. They were both found in Pounce Wood, were 
long-styled, and each had a slightly leafy calyx, with the 
corolla as usual; but out of the middle of it grew another 
flower-bud, with calyx, corolla, and everything complete, but 
young, unopened, and thrusting the pistil of the outer flower 
to one side. This completes my list of the variations which 
I have observed in Primula elatior. 
The shape of the normal Oxlip umbel and the arrangement 
of its flowers is both peculiar and graceful. The base of the 
umbel is not set horizontally on the top of the peduncle, but 
slightly inclined, so that the flowers all face one way. The 
topmost flowers face nearly upwards, and their pedicels have 
a graceful double curve. This curve varies gradually with 
the flowers lower down, so that the lowest are almost pendant. 
Those flowers which are altogether pendant are those coming 
from the very middle of the umbel; their pedicels make 
their way out between those of the lower and outer 
flowers, and hang over in a complete semicircle. The top¬ 
most flowers open first, and the opening gradually extends to 
