It
is well known that he founded his often criticized prescript never to
trust to color in recognizing or describing a species, on this belief.
On the other hand there are some red varieties of white-flowered
species. But they are very rare, and little is known about their
characters or constancy. Blue varieties of white species are not found.
The yarrow (_Achillea Millefolium_) has a red-flowered form, which
occurs [133] from time to time in sunny and sandy localities. I have
isolated it and cultivated it during a series of years and during many
generations. It is quite true to its character, but the degree of its
coloring fluctuates between pink and white and is extremely variable.
Perhaps it can be considered as an inconstant variety. A redflowered
form of the common _Begonia semperflorens_ is cultivated under the name
of "Vernon," the white hawthorn (_Crataegus Oxyacantha_) is often seen
with red flowers, and a pink-flowered variety of the "Silverchain" or
"Bastard acacia" (_Robinia Pseud-Acacia_) is not rarely cultivated. The
"Crown" variety of the yellow wall-flower and the black varieties, are
also to be considered as positive color variations, the black being due
in the latter cases to a very great amount of the red pigment.
Among fruits there are also some positive red varieties of greenish or
yellowish species, as for instance the red gooseberry (_Ribes
Grossularia_) and the red oranges.
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