The next point is offered by the foliage. The leaves of _O. biennis_ are
broad, those of _O. muricata_ narrow. The hybrid has the broad leaves of
_O. biennis_ during most of its life and at the time of flowering. Yet
small deviations in the [259] direction of the other parent are not
wanting, and in winter the leaves of the hybrid rosettes are often much
narrower than those of _O. biennis_, and easily distinguishable from
both parents. A third distinction consists in the density of the spike.
The distance between the insertion of the flowers of _O. biennis_ is
great when compared with that of _O. muricata_. Hence the flowers of the
latter species are more crowded and those of _O. biennis_ more
dispersed, the spikes of the first being densely crowned with flowers
and flower-buds while those of _O. biennis_ are more elongated and
slender. As a further consequence the _O. biennis_ opens on the same
evening only one, two or three flowers on the same spike, whereas _O.
muricata_ bears often eight or ten or more flowers at a time. In this
respect the hybrid is similar to the pistil-parent, and the crowding of
the broad flowers at the top of the spikes causes the hybrids to be much
more showy than either of the parent types.
Other distinguishing marks are not recorded by the systematists, or are
not so sharply separated as to allow of the corresponding qualities of
the hybrids being compared with them.
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