color-varieties

Updated: May 26, 2025

Among bulbous plants many varieties may be recognized even in the dry bulbs by the different tinges of the outer scales. Leaving the colors, we come now to another instance of correlation, which is still more astonishing. For it is as rare, as color-varieties are common.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation

In systematic works the positive ones are as a rule called "radiate," and the negative ones "discoid." Taken broadly the negative varieties seem to be somewhat more numerous than the positive ones, but it is very difficult to come to a definite conclusion on this point. Quite the contrary is the case with regard to the color-varieties of red and blue flowers.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation

Without doubt the existence of two color-varieties of the peloric type, one of a very dark red, indicating the "Black prince" variety as the pollen-parent, and the other with a white tube of the corolla, recalling the form known as "Delila," is due to these crossings.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation

It seems only natural to consider the white and the red, and even the variegated types as distinct varieties, which in nature do not transgress their limits nor change into one another. In a subsequent lecture I will show that this at least is the rule with the corresponding color-varieties in other genera. The fleshiness or pulpiness of the roots is still more variable.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation

Great stress is laid upon this conception by the fact, that positive varieties are so excessively rare when compared with the common occurrence of negative ones. Indeed, if we put aside the radiate and the color-varieties of flowers and foliage, hardly any cases can be cited. We have dealt with this question in a former lecture, and may now limit ourselves to the positive color-varieties.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation

Here we have to return to our former principle, the comparison of different varieties. Assuming that single units may be lost, irrespective of the others, we may expect to find them segregated by variation, wherever a sufficiently wide range of color-varieties is in cultivation.

Hugo de Vries - Species and Varieties, Their Origin by Mutation