On the Species of the Genus Primula in Essex. 203 
of those folds or boxes in the neck of the corolla which are 
present in all the other species and hybrids. Mr. H. C. 
Watson, writing in the ‘ Phytologist ’ for May, 1844 (vol. i., 
p. 1001), says:—“I am induced to point out a character of 
the Bardfield Oxlip (P. elatior, Jacq.), which will probably 
afford a certain distinction between it and the spurious 
Oxlips. In the Primrose and the Cowslip, and all their 
varieties, a circle of scale-like folds 50 surrounds the orifice of 
the tube of the corolla. These folds are absent from P. 
elatior .” Mr. Darwin quotes Henry Doubleday to the effect 
that P. elatior is a true species, having been cultivated for a 
quarter of a century without change. To this I can only give 
testimony that I have seen many thousands of capsules, 
every one of which seemed to be producing its full com¬ 
plement of seed, and I have never seen anything leading me 
to believe that it was a hybrid or a spurious species. On the 
contrary (with the exception of those “varieties” which I 
have already treated of, most of which seem to be due 
entirely to “stimulation,” and which would he better termed 
monstrosities ), I can say with perfect confidence that the 
features of the plant are almost absolutely constant when not 
hybridized, never varying materially either towards the 
Primrose or the Cowslip. I have seldom seen a specimen 
respecting which I have had a moment’s doubt, and I say 
this after an examination of an enormous number of plants 
during the last seven years. It is perfectly true that the 
shape of the leaves, the size of the umbels and of the flowers, 
and the colour of the latter vary a little, hut these generally 
accompany the varying sizes of the plants, which are again 
regulated by the favourable or unfavourable situations in 
which they grow. 
Mr. Bentall, writing in the ‘Phytologist’ on April 16th, 
1846, says:—“In this locality (Grinstead Green) P. elatior 
is accompanied by a profusion of P. vulgaris , and, where the 
two plants are growing intermixed, I have observed specimens 
which I have no hesitation in pronouncing to be hybrids 
50 This word was printed as “glands,” but in vol. ii., p. 527, Mr. Watson 
points out the misprint. 
