The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable KingdomDarwin, Charles
Science
The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom
Darwin, Charles
Fertilization of plants; Plants -- Variation; Pollination
The flowers are proterandrous, and are manifestly adapted for
cross-fertilisation by insects, as shown by Sprengel and Delpino. Twelve
flowers on some plants growing out of doors were crossed with pollen
from a distinct plant and produced eleven capsules, containing
altogether twenty-four good seeds. Eighteen flowers were fertilised with
their own pollen and produced only eleven capsules, containing
twenty-two good seeds; so that a much larger proportion of the crossed
than of the self-fertilised flowers produced capsules, and the crossed
capsules contained rather more seed than the self-fertilised in the
ratio of 100 to 92. The seeds from the self-fertilised capsules were
however the heavier of the two, in the ratio of 100 to 87.
Seeds in an equal state of germination were planted on the opposite
sides of four pots, but only the two tallest plants on each side of each
pot were measured to the tops of their stems. The pots were placed in
the greenhouse, and the plants trained up sticks, so that they ascended
to an unusual height. In three of the pots the crossed plants flowered
first, but in the fourth at the same time with the self-fertilised. When
the seedlings were between 6 and 7 inches in height, the crossed began
to show a slight advantage over their opponents. When grown to a
considerable height the eight tallest crossed plants averaged 44.43, and
the eight tallest self-fertilised plants 37.34 inches, or as 100 to 84.
When their growth was completed they were again measured, as shown in
Table 5/50.
TABLE 5/50. Tropaeolum minus.
Heights of plants measured in inches.
Column 1: Number (Name) of Pot.
Column 2: Crossed Plants.
Column 3: Self-fertilised Plants.
Pot 1 : 65 : 31.
Pot 1 : 50 : 45.
Pot 2 : 69 : 42.
Pot 2 : 35 : 45.
Pot 3 : 70 : 50 4/8.
Pot 3 : 59 4/8 : 55 4/8.
Pot 4 : 61 4/8 : 37 4/8.
Pot 4 : 57 4/8 : 61 4/8.
Total : 467.5 : 368.0.
The eight tallest crossed plants now averaged 58.43, and the eight
tallest self-fertilised plants 46 inches in height, or as 100 to 79.
There was also a great difference in the fertility of the two lots which
were left uncovered in the greenhouse. On the 17th of September the
capsules from all the plants were gathered, and the seeds counted. The
crossed plants yielded 243, whilst the same number of self-fertilised
plants yielded only 155 seeds, or as 100 to 64.
Limnanthes douglasii.
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