A Monstrous Foxglove

Abstract

A SOLITARY specimen of Digitalis purpurea was found last month in a damp wood near Old Colwyn, North Wales, which exhibited the following curious abnormalities in the structure of its flowers. In only one out of the six opened flowers of the raceme was the calyx normal (i.e. consisting of four broad and one narrow segment); in all the others it was divided almost to the base into five equal linear segments. The corolla in four out of the six flowers consisted of merely two narrow petals with long claws, placed at opposite points on the receptacle; in one flower these two distinct floral leaves were deeply divided into two and three lobes respectively, thus forming a perfect two-lipped flower, the lips, however, being quite separate from one another. In the only other flower the upper lip was altogether wanting, the three-lobed lower one alone being present, upon which, alternating with its lobes, were inserted one long and one short stamen. This was the only flower which possessed stamens.