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
The seeds produced by the cleistogamic and perfect flowers do not differ in
appearance or number. On two occasions I fertilised several perfect flowers with
pollen from other individuals, and afterwards marked some cleistogamic flowers
on the same plants; and the result was that 14 capsules produced by the perfect
flowers contained on an average 9.85 seeds; and 17 capsules from the
cleistogamic ones contained 9.64 seeds,--an amount of difference of no
significance. It is remarkable how much more quickly the capsules from the
cleistogamic flowers are developed than those from the perfect ones; for
instance, several perfect flowers were cross-fertilised on April 14th, 1863, and
a month afterwards (May 15th) eight young cleistogamic flowers were marked with
threads; and when the two sets of capsules thus produced were compared on June
3rd, there was scarcely any difference between them in size.
Viola odorata (WHITE-FLOWERED, SINGLE, CULTIVATED VARIETY).
The petals are represented by mere scales as in the last species; but
differently from in the last, all five stamens are provided with diminutive
anthers. Small bundles of pollen-tubes were traced from the five anthers into
the somewhat distant stigma. The capsules produced by these flowers bury
themselves in the soil, if it be loose enough, and there mature themselves.
(8/6. Vaucher says ‘Hist. Phys. des Plantes d’Europe’ tome 3 1844 page 309, that
V. hirta and collina likewise bury their capsules. See also Lecoq ‘Geograph.
Bot.’ tome 5 1856 page 180.) Lecoq says that it is only these latter capsules
which possess elastic valves; but I think this must be a misprint, as such
valves would obviously be of no use to the buried capsules, but would serve to
scatter the seeds of the sub-aerial ones, as in the other species of Viola. It
is remarkable that this plant, according to Delpino, does not produce
cleistogamic flowers in one part of Liguria, whilst the perfect flowers are
there abundantly fertile (8/7. ‘Sull’ Opera, la Distribuzione dei Sessi nelle
Piante’ etc. 1867 page 30.); on the other hand, cleistogamic flowers are
produced by it near Turin. Another fact is worth giving as an instance of
correlated development: I found on a purple variety, after it had produced its
perfect double flowers, and whilst the white single variety was bearing its
cleistogamic flowers, many bud-like bodies which from their position on the
plant were certainly of a cleistogamic nature. They consisted, as could be seen
on bisecting them, of a dense mass of minute scales closely folded over one
another, exactly like a cabbage-head in miniature. I could not detect any
stamens, and in the place of the ovarium there was a little central column. The
doubleness of the perfect flowers had thus spread to the cleistogamic ones,
which therefore were rendered quite sterile.
Viola hirta.
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