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have flowered very tardily. On two occasions only have 
flowers of the hybrid been seen to open the inner segments 
in sunshine, but those instances were enough to show 
that the peculiarity in this respect characteristic of one 
parent had been inherited by at least some of the offspring. 
The odour óf the flower is fainter than in A. corymbosa. 
The hybrids are very vigorous, bearing leaves sometimes 
30 inches long and If inch broad near the base. A strong 
inflorescence measured 23 inches to the top of the highest 
flower. The greatest number of flowers hitherto seen on 
one inflorescence is 17. Seedlings of the hybrid, the result 
of artificial impregnation, come quite true to the parent, 
that is, they do not revert to either of the original 
species. Raised from seed they flowered when about 14 
months old. 
Many hybrids in the open air were fertilised by bees. 
One stem alone bore five good capsules. The certainty with 
which they impregnate A. corymbosa has already been 
indicated. They were repeatedly seen to pass direct from 
the flowers of this species to those of the hybrid, and vice 
versa. No means were taken to test whether crosses were 
thus accomplished ; but there is no reason to doubt but 
that this would often be the result. Such being the case, is 
it not reasonable to suppose that hybridisation may take 
place in nature, and that some of our so-called species 
may be hybrids? 
