I was sure to get nearly all of them, without
any important exceptions, as I now knew how to detect them at almost any
age. In fact, I found many of them; as many as 60 _nanella_ and 73
_lata_, or nearly 5% of each. _Rubrinervis_ also recurred, and was seen
in 8 specimens. It was much more rare than the two first-named types.
But the most curious fact in that year was the appearance of _oblonga_.
No doubt I had often seen it in former years, but had not attached any
value to the very slight differences from the type, as they then seemed
to me. I knew now that any divergence was to be esteemed as important,
and should be isolated for further observation. This showed that among
the selected specimens not less than 176, or more than 1% belonged to
the _oblonga_ type. This type was at that time quite new to me, and it
had to be kept through the winter, to obtain stems and flowers. It
proved to be as uniform as its three predecessors, and especially as
sharply contrasted with _lamarckiana_. The opportunity for the discovery
of any intermediates was as favorable as could be, because the
distinguishing marks were hardly beyond doubt at the time of the
selection and removal of the young plants. But no connecting links were
found.
[553] The same holds good for _albida_, which appeared in 15 specimens,
or in 0.
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