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By this contrivance the double ascidium assumes a terminal position. Instances have been observed on magnolia, in Boehmeria and in other cases. Flowers on leaves are of rare occurrence. Notwithstanding this, they constitute specific characters in some instances, accidental anomalies in others. Helwingia rusciflora flora is the most curious and best known instance.
The character is variable to a high degree, and this fact indicates its varietal nature, though it should be recalled that at least with the Helwingia, the majority of the leaves are destitute of flowers, and that in this way some degree of variability is present in this normal case too. All in all there are three sorts of "Nepaul-barley."
Of European genera, not found in North America, the Lachen valley has Coriaria, Hypecoum, and various Cruciferae. The Japanese and Chinese floras are represented in Sikkim by Camellia, Deutzia, Stachyurus, Aucuba, Helwingia, Stauntonia, Hydrangea, Skimmia, Eurya, Anthogonium, and Enkianthus.
But however admissible this conception may seem, there is of course no real objection to the assumption of independent and parallel mutations. For the purpose of a comparison with the Helwingia type we are however, not at all concerned with the species to which the trifurcatum variety belongs, but only with the varietal mark itself.
But if we once grant the probability of the origin of the "Nepaul-barley" by a sudden mutation, we obviously must assume the same in the case of the Helwingia and other normal instances. In this way we gain a further support for our assertion, that even the strangest specific characters may have arisen suddenly.
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