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
As Professor Asa Gray has expressed his belief that this species and L.
acuminata, as well as some species in the allied genus Drymispermum, are
dimorphic or heterostyled (3/15. ‘American Journal of Science’ 1865 page 101 and
Seemann’s ‘Journal of Botany’ volume 3 1865 page 305.), I procured from Kew,
through the kindness of Dr. Hooker, two dried flowers of the former species, an
inhabitant of the Friendly Islands in the Pacific. The pistil of the long-styled
form is to that of the short-styled as 100 to 86 in length; the stigma projects
just above the throat of the corolla, and is surrounded by five anthers, the
tips of which reach up almost to its base; and lower down, within the tubular
corolla, five other and rather smaller anthers are seated. In the short-styled
form, the stigma stands some way down the tube of the corolla, nearly on a level
with the lower anthers of the other form: it differs remarkably from the stigma
of the long-styled form, in being more papillose, and in being longer in the
ratio of 100 to 60. The anthers of the upper stamens in the short-styled form
are supported on free filaments, and project above the throat of the corolla,
whilst the anthers of the lower stamens are seated in the throat on a level with
the upper stamens of the other form. The diameters of a considerable number of
grains from both sets of anthers in both forms were measured, but they did not
differ in any trustworthy degree. The mean diameter of twenty-two grains from
the short-styled flower was to that of twenty-four grains from the long-styled,
as 100 to 99. The anthers of the upper stamens in the short-styled form appeared
to be poorly developed, and contained a considerable number of shrivelled grains
which were omitted in striking the above average. Notwithstanding the fact of
the pollen-grains from the two forms not differing in diameter in any
appreciable degree, there can hardly be a doubt from the great difference in the
two forms in the length of the pistil, and especially of the stigma, together
with its more papillose condition in the short-styled form, that the present
species is truly heterostyled. This case resembles that of Linum grandiflorum,
in which the sole difference between the two forms consists in the length of the
pistils and stigmas. From the great length of the tubular corolla of Leucosmia,
it is clear that the flowers are cross-fertilised by large Lepidoptera or by
honey-sucking birds, and the position of the stamens in two whorls one beneath
the other, which is a character that I have not seen in any other heterostyled
dimorphic plant, probably serves to smear the inserted organ thoroughly with
pollen.
Menyanthes trifoliata (Gentianeae).
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