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
Besides the several Rubiaceous genera already mentioned, Fritz Muller informs me
that two or three species of Psychotria and Rudgea eriantha, natives of St.
Catharina, in Brazil, are heterostyled, as is Manettia bicolor. I may add that I
formerly fertilised with their own pollen several flowers on a plant of this
latter species in my hothouse, but they did not set a single fruit. From Wight
and Arnott’s description, there seems to be little doubt that Knoxia in India is
heterostyled; and Asa Gray is convinced that this is the case with Diodia and
Spermacoce in the United States. Lastly, from Mr. W.W. Bailey’s description, it
appears that the Mexican Bouvardia leiantha is heterostyled. (3/27. ‘Bulletin of
the Torrey Bot. Club’ 1876 page 106.)]
Altogether we now know of 17 heterostyled genera in the great family of the
Rubiaceae; though more information is necessary with respect to some of them,
more especially those mentioned in the last paragraph, before we can feel
absolutely safe. In the ‘Genera Plantarum,’ by Bentham and Hooker, the Rubiaceae
are divided into 25 tribes, containing 337 genera; and it deserves notice that
the genera now known to be heterostyled are not grouped in one or two of these
tribes, but are distributed in no less than eight of them. From this fact we may
infer that most of the genera have acquired their heterostyled structure
independently of one another; that is, they have not inherited this structure
from some one or even two or three progenitors in common. It further deserves
notice that in the homostyled genera, as I am informed by Professor Asa Gray,
the stamens are either exserted or are included within the tube of the corolla,
in a nearly constant manner; so that this character, which is not even of
specific value in the heterostyled species, is often of generic value in other
members of the family.
CHAPTER IV.
HETEROSTYLED TRIMORPHIC PLANTS.
Lythrum salicaria.
Description of the three forms.
Their power and complex manner of fertilising one another.
Eighteen different unions possible.
Mid-styled form eminently feminine in nature.
Lythrum Graefferi likewise trimorphic.
L. thymifolia dimorphic.
L. Hyssopifolia homostyled.
Nesaea verticillata trimorphic.
Lagerstroemia, nature doubtful.
Oxalis, trimorphic species of.
O. Valdiviana.
O. Regnelli, the illegitimate unions quite barren.
O. speciosa.
O. sensitiva.
Homostyled species of Oxalis.
Pontederia, the one monocotyledonous genus known to include heterostyled
species.
In the previous chapters various heterostyled dimorphic plants have been
described, and now we come to heterostyled trimorphic plants, or those which
present three forms. These have been observed in three families, and consist of
species of Lythrum and of the allied genus Nesaea, of Oxalis and Pontederia. In
their manner of fertilisation these plants offer a more remarkable case than can
be found in any other plant or animal.
Lythrum salicaria.
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