The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same SpeciesDarwin, Charles
Science
The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species
Darwin, Charles
Fertilization of plants; Heterostylism; Plant physiology; Plants -- Variation; Pollination
Long-styled form, mid-length stamens (Average of 20 measurements): 13.2.
Long-styled form, shortest stamens (10 measurements): 9.0.
Mid-styled form, longest stamens (15 measurements) : 16.4.
Mid-styled form, shortest stamens (20 measurements): 9.1.
Short-styled form, longest stamens (20 measurements): 14.6.
Short-styled form, mid-length stamens (20 measurements): 12.3.
We have here the usual rule of the grains from the longer stamens, the tubes of
which have to penetrate the longer pistil, being larger than those from the
stamens of less length. The extreme difference in diameter between the grains
from the longest stamens of the mid-styled form, and from the shortest stamens
of the long-styled, is as 16.4 to 9.0, or as 100 to 55; and this is the greatest
difference observed by me in any heterostyled plant. It is a singular fact that
the grains from the corresponding longest stamens in the two forms differ
considerably in diameter; as do those in a lesser degree from the corresponding
mid-length stamens in the two forms; whilst those from the corresponding
shortest stamens in the long- and mid-styled forms are almost exactly equal.
Their inequality in the two first cases depends on the grains in both sets of
anthers in the short-styled form being smaller than those from the corresponding
anthers in the other two forms; and here we have a case parallel with that of
the mid-styled form of Lythrum salicaria. In this latter plant the pollen-grains
of the mid-styled forms are of smaller size and have less fertilising power than
the corresponding ones in the other two forms; whilst the ovarium, however
fertilised, yields a greater number of seeds; so that the mid-styled form is
altogether more feminine in nature than the other two forms. In the case of
Pontederia, the ovarium includes only a single ovule, and what the meaning of
the difference in size between the pollen-grains from the corresponding sets of
anthers may be, I will not pretend to conjecture.
The clear evidence that the species just described is heterostyled and
trimorphic is the more valuable as there is some doubt with respect to P.
cordata, an inhabitant of the United States. Mr. Leggett suspects that it is
either dimorphic or trimorphic, for the pollen-grains of the longer stamens are
“more than twice the diameter or than eight times the mass of the grains of the
shorter stamens. Though minute, these smaller grains seem as perfect as the
larger ones.” (4/16. ‘Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club’ 1875 volume 6 page
62.) On the other hand, he says that in all the mature flowers, “the style was
as long at least as the longer stamens;” “whilst in the young flowers it was
intermediate in length between the two sets of stamens;” and if this be so, the
species can hardly be heterostyled.
CHAPTER V.
ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING OF HETEROSTYLED PLANTS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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