210 On the Species of the Genus Primula in Essex.
P. elatior. All over the latter wood P. elatior abounds; but
on the edge nearest to Westley Wood it is mixed with plenty
of Primroses and hybrid elatior, and also with Hybrid Oxlips
produced by the Cowslips growing at the edge. In one
meadow at Lindsell P. elatior and veris grow commonly with
the Primrose, the Hybrid Oxlip and P. elatiori-vulgaris
sparingly near the hedges.
In the early volumes of the 'Phytologist' a fierce dis-
cussion raged as to the specific value of the English species
of Primula, and many experiments were made to prove that
they might all be raised from the seed of one plant; but, as
Mr. Darwin says, these are all valueless because "hetero-
stylism, not being formerly understood, the seed-bearing
plants were in no instance protected from the visits of
insects," so that every opportunity was afforded for some of
the offspring to be hybrids.
I may here mention that I have noticed in P. farinosa
growing among the Alps a peculiarity which I believe has
not been previously observed, namely, that there is one
flower, or occasionally I think two, set generally on stalks
a little longer than the rest, and coming from the centre of
the umbel, or very near it, which remains out some time—
I believe several days or a week—after the others have
withered. This may be of the same nature as the "central
flower" of the Carrot and some allied Umbelliferae mentioned
by Darwin; but I believe its persistence is not through
want of fertilization or because of sterility, as I have seen
it produce seeds as regularly as the others. To quote
Mr. Darwin ('Forms of Flowers,' p. 8), it "may perhaps
be a remnant of a former and ancient condition of the
species when one flower alone, the central one, was female,
and yielded seeds." I have once observed an instance of
the same thing in the Polyanthus, and once in the garden
Auricula.
In conclusion, I would venture to suggest that, should
this paper fall into the hands of any Continental botanist
of experience in this genus, it would be very interesting
to English botanists to learn whether Primula elatior